The Game Called Shogi
by HotPinkWriter
Summary: On Hiatus. A revamped story of a grim domino effect that leaves Konoha destroyed, Naruto captured, and Danzo as the Hokage. Meanwhile, dark secrets rise. Dangerous secrets, ones Naruto will have to face. From Tobi's identity to Danzo's darkness...T for violence/gore.
1. Capture of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki

_PLEASE NOTE: This is a less-angsty revamp of the fic A Game of Shogi. The first few chapters will remain mostly the same while later parts will be __**completely**__ purged, upgraded, changed and/or deleted. There will be scenes both removed and added, all for the sake of improving what had potential but fell with ridiculous word count. Again, this will differ slightly from original version._

**_Absolutely NO yaoi! _**_Starts in Chapter 437 then is AU onward._

_I am only typing this once: I do not own Naruto or characters—Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump. Neither do I own lyrics or song titles that may be used in future chapters. I love songs for themes, you see._

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**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI/TO START A WAR**

_-xXx-_

**TURN 1-****_Capture of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki_**

_Shikake wa fu no tsukisute kara_

Start the fight with a pawn sacrifice

_-xXx-_

_Chaos._

Never before had the village of Konoha witnessed more horror than it was now. Not even when the demon fox attacked and destroyed nearly half the village sixteen years ago.

Now, what once was the proud and strongest of the shinobi villages was nothing but rubble, lifeless bodies, and a few survivors scattered about in fear not knowing what to do. And in the heart of this chaos, the gigantic crater that had once been the center of the village, was Uzumaki Naruto facing off to Pain, the heinous villain responsible for this destruction.

Meanwhile, in a relatively safe distance from the massive crater, his shy classmate Hyuuga Hinata nervously fiddled with her fingers, anxiously watching his fight from afar. A nasty feeling twisted in the pit of her stomach as worry for the blond threatened to overwhelm her.

The battle with the Akatsuki leader had long taken a turn for the worse, he needed help yet they had commanded her to stay put. And she did so, for she was not accustomed to _not _doing as she was told. As the lone heiress for her clan disobeying was absolute taboo, but now more than ever she wanted to do nothing more than just that. Why? Because the one she loved was in danger, it was as simple as that.

It felt like she was drowning, raw feelings washing through her violently, crashing into her skull with raging emotion as what she was witnessing threatened to cause her to faint like she used to do. But this was not the time to lose consciousness. It was the time to _move—_to protect the one she had always received encouragement from! He was what had made her strong enough to continue on. She had to do _something_!

She quickly glanced at her current Hyuuga guardian. His name was Ko, a Hyuuga like herself. Upon seeing her questioning and worried gaze he shook his head gravely in reply. "Do not interfere, Hinata-sama," he said gently, his teeth slightly grinding together. Seeing his leg, she soon understood why. "You must stay back…He'll be fine. You'll see."

He was trying to keep up a strong appearance but Hinata knew it was an act. His hands were clutched tightly to his dark blue pants that were darkened from oozing blood. It was a nasty wound, one Tsunade's giant summoned slug had not been able to prevent.

Yet even with the injury, he was still doing all he could to loyally protect _her, _just because she was the eldest daughter in the Main Branch of the Hyuuga clan. It wasn't fair. While she stayed behind the sidelines like a fragile royal Naruto was risking his life for the entire village, all alone. The very village that had shunned him during his childhood.

It just wasn't fair.

Hinata squeezed her fingers into a fist, looking towards the battlefield once again. Naruto was down and wasn't getting back up. _Oh no! _The Hyuuga quickly activated her Byakugan. Chakra veins webbed across her face, allowing her to see from the great distance that separated them his chakra, but it was weak and tainted by the chakra of another. Pain's.

Looking even closer she cringed. There were multiple rods that had been stabbed into him, holding him into place on the dusty ground. Focusing, she realized they weren't in any of his vital spots, which signified Pain was interested in _capture_. If Naruto didn't get back up and no one helped him….

Again she felt the urge to move but whispered warnings spun around her head. _'Don't interfere.'_

It wasn't good enough.

She felt resolve flow through her, giving her frail confidence strength. She _had _to do something, even if she had no chance against the S-Rank criminal Pain. She _had _to _move_. She _HAD _to! Right as her foot landed against the dry earth in an attempt to run a hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

She quickly turned around. Her panicked gaze met with the eyes of her father, Hyuuga Hiashi. Surprised to see him, she gaped at her father's lean and solemn face. Firm cheekbones followed by pure white eyes like her own stared at her own, but his were aged by years of inner battles and nobility. He was supposed to be at a meeting outside the village, so why was he here?

"F-father!" she stammered. "What are you doing?"

"I saw the smoke from afar and came right away. I can only assume this is the Akatsuki's doing." He quickly scanned the wreckage of the destroyed village, then to the center where Pain was, his expression growing grimmer.

"Father, Naruto-kun is fighting the head of the Akatsuki. He needs help—my help!" she cried, shocked to hear herself speak so desperately towards her father. Still, there was no time for formalities. Every second she wasted with words….

"No."

His answer came so sudden it caused her to gasp. "Let someone else assist him. Your main concern is preserving your bloodline trait. Going into such fatal and unnecessary danger is out of the question."

She wanted to protest, to _run_, but years of being trained to be a proper member of the Hyuuga Main Branch had steeled in her to not talk back or do anything to challenge the clan's authority. Even so, she bit her bottom lip, unsatisfied. "He is in severe danger. I-I…Did you say _unnecessary_?"

Her father's gaze hardened. "It is the Anbu's job to watch over him. Let them do their job and you yours."

His answer seemed cold, even to him. True he no longer housed hatred for the Kyuubi host as the boy had been the catalyst to bringing him, Hinata, and his nephew Neji closer but he would not risk his eldest daughter to the leader of the Akatsuki.

"Just look at the village. There is nothing you can do but get yourself killed by the Akatsuki."

Did he see her as that weak, still? And did he have to imply it so bluntly?

Hinata suddenly felt heavy, like her chest had caved in. She knew her father was right but…

_What about Naruto-kun?_

When she looked back to the clearing, a tear slid down her cheek. Naruto and Pain were gone. A cloud of drifting smoke signified a transportation jutsu of sorts had swept them away.

The one who had given her hope and strength was lost.

Captured.

Gone.

The cruel words echoed in her head and the tears fell. Had her father not been right by her side, holding her, she would have fallen to her knees. Such improper behavior for one born of high class. Especially for the heiress of the Hyuuga clan.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Not much further away, hidden inside a fake tree made of chakra-enhanced paper there were two figures cloaked by darkness. The red clouds on their black robes that signified they were of the Akatsuki organization were barely visible in the poor light. Still, you could make out some of their trademark features.

A pale face with shining silver eyes carved below a bob of hair and a paper flower was trademark of the Rain's—no, _God's _Angel: Konan. The other figure looked like a skeleton before a cross that's top was not formed by wood but many impaling black rods. His strange mauve eyes held within it thin ripples, trademark of the Rinnegan. The same Rinnegan eyes that the six Pains that had attacked Konoha bore. Who had just captured the Jinchuuriki.

Konan looked to Nagato, anger delicately mixed in her usual somber expression. "You did not need to transport the Kyuubi all the way to the hideout right away. Your chakra is low enough as it is."

The plan had originally been to bring the Jinchuuriki to them, as the location was close enough to control his movements through Pain's chakra rods. The Akatsuki hideout where the surviving Akatsuki members waited for them was too far away for him to transport the host right now, especially considering his level of chakra.

Nagato's breathing was loud and wheezy. After a moment or two he managed to get out in his raspy voice, "I've underestimated the village enough as it is. It won't be long until they discover my location."

Konan glared at a small forest creature that was scurrying across the ground. A creature that did not belong anywhere near her god. She threw a tiny paper shuriken to its head, killing it in a single hit and watched as blood spilled out from its fragile body. "That's what I'm here for. I won't let anyone reach you."

_I'll always protect you, even though I was unable to do so for.…_

Blood dripped from Nagato's lips and he started to cough. His chakra was dangerously low. The transportation jutsu had been a hazardous move but when the goal, _Peace_, was so _close _it would surely merit all the sacrifice, all the Jinchuuriki's lives, all the pain, the suffering, _everything_. It would all be over soon.

"Madara will be able to handle the boy until we reach the hideout," he said, his voice weak.

Konan flicked her eyes to her childhood friend and fellow orphan. The two of them were the last surviving of the original _three_. Even though it hurt to, she found herself often wondering about the third, and what would be if _he _were still around. Deep in her heart she knew he would not approve of Madara being a part of their organization.

"There was a time Yahiko didn't trust that man," she stated carefully.

She hated bringing up Yahiko's name out loud. Especially around the man who had held the kunai that made its way to their best friend's heart. _Yahiko_...A name that should only be said in prayers of respect and even of mourning. Not as a card to pull.

As God's Angel, Konan had always done all she could to please Nagato but of late she, like their dearly departed friend, had been suspicious of the man with the mask and wished to express this to Nagato. To reach him in the despair they were buried in. Despair Madara could not possibly understand.

There was just too much they didn't know about him. Did they _really _all share the same goal? Or was he just playing and using Yahiko's dream and the Akatsuki?

Nagato grimaced at the memory of that terrible rainy day, at the man who had forced Yahiko to make that terrible choice in order to save Konan, dug them all into their nightmare, and taught Nagato what true pain was, which forced him to grow up in this new painful reality.

Nagato closed his eyes, focusing on Yahiko's body that was in a chakra-reduced state from the transportation. All he saw from it and the other bodies was darkness.

"Yahiko's dead."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness, unable to either rest or stir completely. Both were lost to him in the thick fog of pain he was floating in where time was immeasurable. In this daze, he thought he heard a clatter, like metal falling to the floor, followed by a dull ache. But then he zoned out again. Whether this lasted for minutes or just mere seconds he couldn't tell. In fact, he couldn't tell anything. Why?

The disorientated teen was soon roused again when he heard a dull hum of voices. He couldn't understand what they were saying or even who the low voices belonged to. His hearing was impaired by this strange state of fatigue he was in like all his other senses. Then a smell reached his nose that stank of foul copper and rust. It was the scent that could only be one thing: _blood_. Why was that?

Slowly peeling his eyes halfway open he could see a blurry image of what appeared to be dark rods thrown about the ground, their tips coated in blood. _His _blood. It took him another moment and horrid throbbing pangs to remember why that was.

_Konoha! PAIN! _What had transpired the last few hours suddenly flashed in his head in scorching images. The village was destroyed and he was…Anger boiled up inside of him, bringing some clarity to his weary senses. He had to figure where he and Pain was. They had a friggen score to settle!

Naruto attempted to move which caused pain to explode from his wounds. He collapsed his head back to the ground, gritting his teeth. Colors flashed in front of his eyes, the room spinning for a second or two. He found it frustrating how weak he was like this! _Dang it!_

"So he's awake already?" a voice that he did not recognize said.

**"Not for long," **another voice muttered that was close by. Naruto's eyes opened wide enough to see that he was surrounded by figures standing around him. Tall, and their dark faces hidden from view with his current low position. The only thing he could make out clear enough to somewhat identify them were their multiple sets of feet. Their toenails were painted. One pair of feet was dark gray in the lighting from an unnatural skin-tone, more so than the others, so he could immediately tell that it was Kisame, the unforgettable shark-skinned man he had seen a few years ago trying to kidnap him.

_Akatsuki!_

Pain must have taken him to the Akatsuki's hideout! CRAP! He had to get out!

Without a word, he quickly tried jumping to his feet but the moment he was on his hands, a blow came from behind, slamming him back into the rocky ground face first. _Why are my reflexes so slow!? _He groaned from impact, spitting out blood as he titled his face up and rested his chin on the ground. A heavy foot pressed against his back, holding him down.

"Still so reckless, I see," Kisame said, chuckling in an amused manner. He then cleared his throat, directing his attention back to his fellow Akatsuki members. "So as I was saying, it seems this brat's capture took a toll on Leader-sama's chakra if he's not here yet. And what are we going to do about the Hachibi being a dud? Leader-sama's not going to be happy about that when he finds out."

"True," a deep voice said. It sounded familiar somehow. It took Naruto a moment to realize it belonged to the man in the orange mask. The same guy he had seen that one day, taunting them when they were trying to capture Itachi. What a goofball he had been! But even so, he had that strange ability that made him untouchable…But now he talked so seriously, nothing like before..._Argh! _He didn't have time for this!

Naruto again fought to get up. His success lasted only briefly.

Twisting free from the foot, he rolled into a crouch and lunged at the closest figure. Seeing the first guy was the strange plant-face from that day too, he slammed his elbow against the Akatsuki member's ribs. A sickening crack was heard but he didn't take the time to relish the success as he was still dangerously surrounded by two more.

As he spun around with a snarl to hit the next person, a hand sliced through the air towards him, slashing into his face. The ring they wore cut from his jaw to his right eyebrow in a single line. He yelped as the slash seared and hot blood dripped into his eye, temporarily blinding him.

This was all his opponents needed. A foot - Kisame's most likely - kicked at the back of his legs causing him to buckle to his knees. Then came the one in the orange mask, grabbing him by the hair with one hand and the other slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. The force sent stars flashing in front of his eyes and blood to his mouth. Naruto coughed it out, completely exhausted and fatigued as he tried to catch his breath, the dark world spinning around him, faster than he could keep up with. Another punch came. And another. He officially couldn't breathe and couldn't think, only bear the pain.

_Dang. This guy's seriously not joking anymore…_

"St...Stop," he said between pained breaths, seeing the figure holding his fist out again. "You _win_."

The spots where Pain had impaled him with those cursed rods were echoing painful pulses repeatedly. His chakra was gone. He hurt all over. He just couldn't do it anymore, or at least not right now. He just needed to recover a bit first…

The grip on his hair loosened. His head slumped and hit the ground as panted and let out a groan.

"Don't make your capture more difficult than it has to be, Naruto," the figure said. "Keep _down_."

Naruto raised his sleeve to his eye in attempt to clear it and when done, titled his head back up to meet the masked man's single exposed Sharingan eye with a defiant glare. Deep inside Naruto, the Kyuubi reeled back and roared as it then proceed to bang against the bars of his confinement in its alarm. _**'Those eyes! Those cursed eyes!' **_Naruto cringed at the ruckus and yelled, '_What is it!?'_

The fox howled, _**'That man! It's the same man who controlled me sixteen years ago with his Sharingan! He used me to attack the village, that man, that UCHIHA MADARA!'**_

Naruto was taken aback. _Impossible! _Even with what little he remembered of Konoha's history from the Academy he still recognized that name and knew that Uchiha Madara was long dead, brought down by the first Hokage himself. He couldn't be Madara! The fox's rage insisted otherwise

It then snarled for Naruto to break the seal, which led to Naruto taking his attention away from the beast and focusing back on what was happening outside. There was enough going on, as it was, he wasn't about to put up with the Kyuubi's crap too.

The masked-man, whoever he really was, continued the conversation with his comrades, ignoring the blue eyes that glared at him viciously as if he was a monster. "I'm really disappointed in Sasuke, too. I want the Bijuu hunt to end just as much as you do, Kisame. And thanks to Pain, well, we're going to have got a lot of attention so hunting the beast again will be even more—"

_"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT SASUKE!?" _Naruto interrupted. He had no clue what they were talking about but he did know that the man in the mask had had his eyes on Sasuke after Itachi's defeat that day. He had to know where he was now!

The masked-man ignored the Jinchuuriki's outburst and Kisame chuckled. "Well it's not like we can just _return _him." He tapped Naruto with his foot. _Ugh. _"Which means he'll have to remain locked up until we catch the Hachibi."

_Stop talking like I'm just a thing!_

**"That won't a problem. It'll be the Leaf's persistence. What a bothersome hindrance, right Madara?" **Naruto noticed this voice seemed to be coming from the black side of the Plant-Face, and just like his color his voice was darker when compared to the other white half. However, that observation aside, Naruto was more taken aback by the name confirmation.

_That name again! Impossible!_

Naruto's thoughts rushed as he tried to understand what was going on around him. None of it made sense! How was _Madara _still alive? Where was Pain, and most importantly—he screamed in frustration "WHAT ABOUT SASUKE!? What have you freaks done with him!? Tell me!"

The Uchiha leaned down, staring into the boy's eyes. Staring at him as if he was just some young, naïve fool. It ticked him off. "Under my command he was ordered to capture the Hachibi—"

"He would _never_!" he spat, fingers curling into a fist.

"When asking someone a question it would be wise to not interrupt until you've heard the entire answer, Uzumaki Naruto."

Rage swept through Naruto. _How can he speak so calmly! I don't have time for this! I have to find Sasuke then find that teme Pain!_

_**'You're too weak and outnumbered, boy,'**_that voice from within whispered. **_'What could you possibly do now?' Heh, I'll give you my power…'_**

Intoxicated by his anger and filled with the desire to tear these monsters to shreds and find Sasuke and Pain, his shaking hands raced to the collar of his jacket where he dug for the stringed crystal hanging around his neck. Right when he was about to rip the necklace off the Uchiha grabbed his wrist.

"Would you really so quickly give your body to that demon for the sake of revenge? Fool."

Naruto's head sank, unwilling to acknowledge that the man had just stopped him from doing the very thing Captain Yamato had warned him against. _That _power surge was amazing but the consequences were great. All he had to do was remember the scars on Sakura's arm. If he entered into _that _state with his weakened seal and anger at the level it was now there would be no return. He wouldn't be able to escape. Or find Sasuke.

"Let go of me," he growled.

Madara did not release his wrist. Instead, the grip tightened.

"You're the very example of Konoha's hypocrisy," he spoke, his tone censuring.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto retorted, finally glaring back into that Sharingan eye. Kami, he hated it. Seeing something that only belonged to his teammates, Sasuke and Kakashi, on a monster like this "Madara" poser really grinded him.

"You would kill for your revenge yet condemn others for doing the same. This is hypocrisy, Naruto, and ignorance. But you aren't the only one, boy. The entire flawed shinobi system's to blame. The Akatsuki is merely here to correct the corrupted cycle."

Pain's words came back to Naruto and he remembered the uncertainty he had felt earlier when Pain had questioned him about it. It _was _a cycle of hatred, but again Pain's way of trying to obtain much needed peace was not acceptable.

"You're…wrong. Now where's Sasuke? "

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," mocked Kisame. "It's hilarious, your useless fixation with him. You _do _realize he doesn't care about you or your village, right?"

Unwarranted, Kisame's words hit him deep. Naruto could only whisper weakly in response, "You're wrong about that."

Madara stared at the downcast blond, his eye no longer harsh but instead something else. Was it sympathy? No. Impossible...

Nonetheless, the man released Naruto's wrist, and the boy's hands fell down and pressed to the ground for support. His face cast down. "He'll come back…"

Part of him didn't believe his own words.

Suddenly, that man's voice: "Do you want me to tell you about Sasuke?"

"…Screw you."

The man chuckled. "Your tone betrays you, Naruto. Besides, even if I did tell you, you could never understand the pain he's had to go through, _orphan_. Although, it might shut you up for while…I think I should."

_Huh?_

Before Naruto could even think or curse himself for looking into that blood-red eye, he was trapped in a Genjutsu that felt like it took him to another space and time….

"I'll show you the truth about Sasuke. Maybe then you could see how futile your persistence is."

_-xXx-_

When Naruto opened his eyes it was nighttime. The sky was clear, allowing the moon and stars to illuminate the many traditional houses surrounding him. They were nice houses, he could tell that right away. Many of them had traditional features on them and thick fences surrounding their yards, more for decoration than actual protection, he guessed.

The street before them and where he stood looked like the kind kids played on. Kids that were no doubt in bed by now...

Bed...A thing he could use. His body and spirit screamed with exhaustion, tempting him all the more with the need to go to sleep now. So much so that the thought of how he even got here didn't cross his mind. And even if it did, he didn't wish to entertain it.

It was peaceful here...Although such calmness reminded him eerily of the calm before a storm.

Ah, on the wall beside him, was that the Uchiha crest? Why would it be here unless...

His fingers traced over the familiar pattern when suddenly the first scream pierced the air, shattering the peaceful dream and the hellish nightmare began.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

To be continued in: **TURN 2: The Witching Hour (Naruto VS Tobi)**

_After being immersed in a terrible Genjutsu, Naruto attempts to flee and..._

_Meanwhile Konoha begins a plan of counterattack._

_-xXx-_

_Thank you! From here on, chapters will average 8,000 words. _**_I would really love constructive criticism and reviews and recommendations! They are what help and encourage me to write, and to write better._**

_Again, thanks._


	2. The Witching Hour

**NOTE: The latter part of this chapter HAS BEEN EDITED**

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**RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BACKGROUND THEME MUSIC:**

VOCAL: _Korn's "Get Up" (zwieR.Z. remix version (Not Dubstep!))_

INSTRUMENTAL: _The OST, "Attack on Titan"_

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**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

_-xXx-_

**TURN 2: The Witching Hour (Naruto VS Tobi)**

OR

_**Determination and Unfortunate Truths +**__**Kisame, the Babysitter**_

_Times are looking grim these days_

_Holding on to everything_

_It's hard to draw the line_

_-xXx-_

_Absence._

Sakura's fists clenched. Why could she not see Naruto? He was still in the crater, fighting Pain, right? The Anbu next to her glanced at the ground, answerless to her demanding gaze. She looked to the Hyuuga this time. He should be able to see Naruto's chakra. She had to know how he was holding up.

"Where is he?" she asked, voice tight in a controlled manner.

_Silence._

Behind her, the two great summoning animals—each belonging to the legendary sages—shook their heads. Shaking them like something was _wrong_. _No, _Sakura thought, arguing with that doubtful voice inside her who stuck to reason like the unwanted leech would blood. _When Pain attacked, all I did was call his name and he was there not even a second later! He's strong. And fast. There's no way anything could have happened to him, only that Pain guy. Naruto probably defeated him already and just ran off to—Heck if I knew where he's always running around!_

A sudden gasp broke her from her thoughts. The Hyuuga's face was snaked with veins from his Byakugan. Byakugan that was pointed towards the crater that dust fogged from normal sight.

"W-What is it?" she asked, unable to keep the panic from creeping into her voice. The Hyuuga bowed his head, his expression grave. Before replying, he glanced at her fist as if he was _afraid_ of what she would do to him. She wanted to groan in annoyance. Sometimes her infamous strength annoyed her.

After a moment, he answered. "They disappeared. Pain must have used a transportation jutsu."

_What?_ Perhaps she didn't hear him right. No, she did, it was just she didn't understand his words, couldn't interpret their meaning. Was he speaking a different language? The hope left inside her began to crack.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered, the appalling words robbing her of her voice. No, this wasn't right. Naruto was still down there. Fighting. _Winning_.

"I'm sorry to say but…the host has been…It appears Naruto has been captured."

The crack deepened and now shattered into a million pieces. Sakura blinked a few times. Were her ears deceiving her? Naruto was Naruto; no one could keep him held down or defeat him—_no one_! Darn it, this guy didn't know what he was talking about!

She would just see for herself if it was true—the fog of smoke was beginning to clear! She squinted, scanning the deep massive crater that once was her beloved home. All she could see was smoke still rising, painting the sky with its vile fumes.

Sakura didn't know how but somehow, seeing the smoke, the emptiness, her kunoichi skills broke through the instinctive feelings of panic that were nipping at her heels like rabid dogs. Somehow, she had the strength to do what was necessary. Or try to at least, the need to save him her number one priority. Breaking down could wait.

"Katsuyu! Naruto had one of your clones on him, so tell me where he is!"

The giant sized summoning slug looked down, unable to meet Sakura's panicking eyes. "I'm sorry but they took it out."

She gritted her teeth. "Alright then, Gamakichi, if I recall correctly your kind can use Reverse Summoning on him, so bring him back!"

The frog summon, Gamakichi, sighed, and lowered the unconscious Hokage he was holding to the Anbu member who had just arrived. The Anbu member would take Tsunade to a secure location until she woke up. Hands cleared, the frog brought them together, closing his eyes in focus.

"I can't...," he spoke softly, after a few minutes of staying in this position. "The enemy must have him in a special barrier that prevents such jutsu." He glanced up to the Anbu and Hyuuga, then finally to Sakura. "This is beyond us summoning animals," he said, voice grim.

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the tears. She couldn't afford them. In the sadnesses' place, determination came instead, flowing through her veins like fire.

"You're right. This is a job for _Shinobi_," she declared, voice filled with conviction. "Anbu, see if Intelligence has figured anything out regarding Pain's location, then gather anyone left standing! We will not give up—this is only the beginning of the battle!" With a "SHANARO!" she punched the ground and the earth below her fist shattered like dry clay, throwing shards everywhere. "We will find and unleash fury on them this time! _NOW MOVE IT!"_

The first Anbu nodded, and vanished from sight, the weight of the village's—no, the world's future resting on his shoulders.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Naruto hurled. Even though the Genjutsu was over, he couldn't free his mind from the searing images, the searing events. Kami. What he had just seen….

He threw up again, coughing violently.

His discharge was no doubt not just a result from the Genjutsu's terrible sights, but his weakened state, Pain's chakra polluting his system, and honestly the disgusting meals he had eaten during training on Mount Myoboku. It all came out with fury and blood.

When he seemed to have emptied his entire system, he noticed a gloved hand holding a towel out to him. _Madara._ Naruto closed his eyes. He'd like nothing more than to save what little dignity he had left now and slap that hand away, but on the other hand he really needed to get cleaned off.

Choosing the latter as more desirable, he grabbed the towel (more like rudely snatched it) and rubbed it against his face and mouth. When he released his jaw from the cloth he saw both vomit and blood covering the coarse fabric. He could also see the wounds in his hands that held the towel. Dirty and bloody.

For a moment, his stomach writhed and he thought he might get sick again but nothing came. Reading the blond's facial expression Madara asked, "You done?"

Strangely, he hadn't said it too unkindly.

Naruto, unable make words, only stared blankly at the now dirtied fabric_._

_It's not true. None of it…Konoha would never condone the slaughter of the Uchiha clan…Of all those people, the elderly, even the children. Konoha would never! It was all Itachi's doing…_

But. W_hat about his deceptive smile from that one time?_

Far away, in what felt like in another universe Kisame's voice rang out, "Wooh-whee, Madara, what'd you do to the poor kid? Hah."

"Only showed him the truth." The man seemed distant in his reply, as if in deep thought like he was trying to figure something out. In his trance, Naruto didn't hear the masked man mumble to himself, "_That thing inside him…"_

Kisame continued, "I'm surprised he didn't hack his liver up. Or pee his pants—Hah! Remember that whore Deidara brought in that one time! Just three seconds in Itachi's Genjutsu and it ran right down her leg…"

As the voice continued, Naruto remained fixed to the ground, his being in a state of numbness. Weighted, weighted down…The voices, they just kept talking, talking…_These voices…_

'_**You don't belong with them,'**_ _That_ being residing in him hissed. '_**Get out of there. Now.'**_

Yeah…_I gotta leave, figure the rest out later…_His trance began to break and merge into one of survival. _I have to hurry and leave_!

Swallowing nervously, Naruto glanced around him, moving only his eyes as he remained hunched over, clinging to the towel. The members around him probably still thought he was frozen dumb or paralyzed from the Genjutsu. He would need that.

Glancing, he saw he was in what looked like a foyer of sorts, with at least four entrances to what seemed to be dark passages. The interior was all made of dark stone-like material, and lit by stone lanterns. In their dim lighting he could make out the dominant exit—but it was blocked by a huge bolder. He wouldn't have time to get through that hulk of rock before they surrounded him again. That escape route crossed out, he looked to the hallways again, their entrances pitch.

_I've no clue which one will lead to an exit but I have to get out of here while they're distracted!_

Okay. He could do this. Run, and plan later. And strangely enough, even though he could have sworn practically all his chakra was gone, he felt just a bit flow through him. Where it came from he didn't care. Only that he could use it. Hands covered by the towel, without a moment's hesitation he weaved his seals screaming, _"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

Yelling broke out from the men: "_Quick! He recovered already!" _Multiple Naruto formed in puffs of smoke. And before the masked man could grab the real one, the teen whipped out his last couple of smoke bombs and smashed them into the ground. Smoke instantly released, covering the entire foyer, and him.

The masked-man hissed as he focused his Sharingan on the boys standing before him in the murky air. The boy had been smart enough to equally distribute his chakra between them, making the real impossible to distinguish from the fake. What a nuisance.

Before the blond captive could attack, Kisame swung his massive blade Samehada into one. The boy let out a pained scream as the blade ripped through flesh like a hot knife through butter…

Then disappeared in a puff of smoke revealing that it was just a clone. The man stared at Kisame, his brow pointed down in annoyance.

"What if that had been the real one?" he growled.

"Well." Kisame grinned as he placed the sword back in its strap, and cracked his knuckles. "It certainly would have hurt."

"It would have killed him! Until we have the Hachibi, we need him _alive,_ Kisame."

"**It doesn't matter,"** Black Zetsu hissed, slashing at the remaining Naruto. The boy disappeared in a puff, confirming that it was yet another clone. "**The real one made a run for it, but..."**

The White Zetsu finished, "He won't get far."

The mask chuckled. "No he won't. And he's about to learn that."

"**Madara, we'll go ahead and get a head start on Sasuke," **the Black Zetsu said. As the strange plant-like member began to sink into the ground the white side commented, "Yeah. We can't shift as fast as you, after all."

"Yes, go ahead," the leader murmured, head turning towards the direction the Jinchuuriki had disappeared to. Already the smoke was clearing.

"Taking care of him won't take me long."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_What happened here!?_

It was a question on all of their minds, even before they had even entered the village's gates. Once entering through the crumbling thing, surrounded by mountains of debris even in the outside, nearly the entire team thought they were caught in a Genjutsu. It was impossible to believe what they were seeing.

Tenten's skin paled, becoming death-pale. Mouth opened, she sunk fluidly to the ground. "Neji…Is this…?"

"This is real," the Hyuuga whispered, his solemn face masked with nonchalance regardless the nausea swimming inside him.

It only took seeing the first dead body for the green-clad Rock Lee to become hysterical. "Oh—robbed the water from their fountains of youth! Who did this?!" Clear crystal streaks slid down his round face and his bowl-cut hair swayed as he shook his head. "Oh Sensei! Please explain this to me, I don't understand it!"

Gai gritted his teeth, as he, too, took in the sights. Team 9 had just gotten back from a long mission, totally unprepared for Konoha's tragic and sudden demise.

"I don't know," he said. "But we're gonna find out _right now_."

The moment their sensei caught sight of a group of people standing among the rubble, he dashed for them, faster than anyone had ever seen him run before. His team could barely keep up as they chased after him, even Lee.

"Team Gai!" the survivors' voices cried.

Gathered there, was Shikamaru and Ino, their fathers, Konoha Cryptology Team's Shiho, and a member of the Anbu, sitting close to Shizune. It didn't take the Byakugan to see that the Hokage's assistant was dead. Or to see that Shikamaru's leg was broken, making all but his quick mind essentially useless for the time being.

"Thank goodness you're back!" his father Shikaku exclaimed, gesturing to the arriving team.

His son, holding onto his injured leg, gave a grim smile. "We think we just figured out where the Akatsuki leader is."

Neji raised a brow. "Akatsuki leader? Why, and what's going on?"

Inoichi was first to answer. "Their leader, Pain, just attacked us and took Naruto with him."

"Naruto's been captured!?" Different members of Team 9 exclaimed at the same time. As Tenten's mouth remained dropped, Neji stood beside her, silently thinking. While he was concerned about the troubling matters before them, part of him instantly worried about Hinata and wanted to comfort her, knowing she was no doubt taking this hard. But there was no time to. They had to get Naruto back.

Lee wasn't as able to hide his surprise as his Hyuuga teammate. "_Really!?"_

"Yes," Inoichi said, fists clenching. "And if we're going to go after him we must leave now! Will you come with us, Gai? We need all the help we can get."

Gai nodded. "I will! Neji?"

The team leader closed his eyes and thought carefully. What they were wanting and expecting of them was rash suicide. _This is the Akatsuki we're going against and by now they'll be expecting our counterattack, and they're familiar with our attacks by now. We'll be even more at a disadvantage..._

Pondering this, he scanned the village, then their small group. Even in this devastation they had gathered together for the sole purpose of recovery. He sighed and gave a small smile. _As dangerous as this will be, we have something they don't have: t_he _Will of Fire. _

Even after witnessing their homes being destroyed, their spirits were far from crushed, and he could feel the fire radiating off all of them, lighting their eyes with determination that was ready to consume enemies.

"We will go," he said. "But first, I'd like a private meeting…with Lee."

Regardless the faith he had in them, and they in themselves, the Will of Fire wasn't enough by itself. Whether they acknowledged it or not.

Shikamaru nodded. "It's a drag I can't come, but I can still help from the sidelines. Someone bring me some radios and we can talk strategy. Hurry."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He ran like his life depended on it. And frankly, it did.

He ran. Knees threatening to buckle, heart stomping, lungs throbbing. With each footfall the task of moving became harder and harder. The halls were endless as they were dark and empty. The rooms singular, or adjoined, but no signs of an exit in any of them. It felt like a maze from Hell. He could just imagine the ugly distorted demons from myths lurking inside the cave-like rooms and cackling evilly.

Oh! He couldn't go anymore! His back crashing into a wall, he panted like a drowned man emerging from water. Gasping for life, sweat trickling down his skin, and mouth dry. His wounds releasing their crimson tides down his back side. Kami, his joints. His previous fight with Pain really took a toll on him...

When his breathing was somewhat at a decent volume and pace, Naruto closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds. There were none as he had expected there to be. No following footsteps, or shouts. Why not? Could it be they weren't bothering with chasing him because the boulder-blocked exit was the only one? _ARGH!_ if that was the case. He couldn't go back there! Screw that. Any other time he'd love to go back and kick their butts but even he knew that wasn't an option right now. Not with his current state.

Dang it! Naruto grit his teeth. If there wasn't another exit he'd just make his own! "_Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" _he cried, creating clones once more. "Scout for a way out," he told the first two. With a determined nod they dashed off into the hallways. Satisfied, Naruto told the other, "Let's do what Captain Yamato did that one time at Orochimaru's hideout. Remember? Find a weak spot, then Rasenshuriken the heck out of it!"

Another nod. Naruto grinned. He was well on his way—

"Rasen_shuriken_? My, your skills have grown," a voice suddenly chuckled from behind him. Eyes widening, Naruto whipped his head around to see the orange of the mask swirling into existence_. He wasn't there a second ago! Man I hate that jutsu!_

The figure seemed to smirk from under his swirl-patterned face covering, pleased by Naruto's shock. "Honestly I'm impressed. But…" He slid his gloved fingers against the cold rock that was the wall. "You'll find these stone walls durable against such beatings. See, unlike Orochimaru, we don't need to make such fragile hideouts, built only for the purpose of hiding then moving the next week or so. We aren't that weak, nor do we cower in fear as he did. You're in a _whole new_ ball game, boy."

"That's what you think!" he snarled, powerful gusts of chakra already spinning in his hand. "_Futon-RASENSHURIKEN!"_ He lurched forward, arm swinging. Gust swirling, glowing, and draining. He threw it forward. Screeching from his bleeding hand like a rocket, packed with power, it shot straight for the man.

Again, Naruto didn't know where the strength was coming from after such a horrendous and draining battle with Pain, but adrenaline or not, he didn't care. He only smirked as the entire area filled with dust from the crumbling rock that the jutsu had practically disintegrated with satisfying power. The walls may have held for the most part but the man was done for. Naruto had had a durn good clear shot.

"You've improved the _original_," the voice of the mask spoke, "but still, it's not enough."

_What!?_

Naruto groaned, seeing the figure coolly leaning against the wall behind him. His arms crossed, and expression bored. Untouched by the attack. _Dang it! And what's he mean by_ "_improved the original"? _What the heck did this guy even know!?

Hissing, Naruto went fully into attack mode, whipping a kunai from its pouch, he raced forward, lips curled into a feral snarl and blade already aiming for the throat. If long range missed this guy so easily, he'd try short range this time and wear him out!

The man raised his fists, apparently welcoming the challenge. _Go right ahead and try, _his pose seemed to say.

And try he would.

Naruto's fist met air, and crashed into the wall. The man twisted himself towards it trying to seize him. Naruto, recovering, swung his other fist straight towards the mask. Just as he expected, the jutsu activated to protect the face-covering. _If he says he's Madara then why's he so insistent on keeping that mask!? Doesn't he know how annoying it is?_

Naruto readied a Rasengan for the man's reappearance. The man's abilities may complicate things but there was always a change in the air, telling the careful watcher where he would appear and Naruto was gonna find it!

"Come on and _face me_!" he snarled as Sennin chakra seeped into him from one of his clones. Good. All the more power! The jutsu intensified, enhanced by his new mode, and hunger for its target.

But it never landed.

Eyes blazing with the power of the Sharingan, Madara was fast. Naruto hissed as his arm missed the man by inches, and before he could pull back Madara was on him. His movements brutal. He aimed straight for Naruto's pressure points, each blow harder than the last and faster than he could block or parry in his state.

At least at first. Right before the man could land another blow, Naruto rolled away at the last second, causing Madara's incoming punch to drive into the floor, temporarily lodging it there. Trying to recover himself, Naruto raced towards him, bashing a chunk of the rock on his head.

The blow was hard but not effective enough. Staggering free from his position, Madara snatched Naruto's arm before he could drive a finishing Rasengan through his thick skull.

Naruto instantly wished he had taken training with Kakashi or even Gai more seriously. He had spent a lot more time on his Rasengan than on combating eye jutsu like the Sharingan. Then again, he could remember many times someone on Team 7 had explained to him the differences between it and the Byakugan. Chakra. It could forsee attacks with chakra.

_If he's just gonna foresee what attacks Imma use then I need to switch to Taijutsu. It _is _short range…_He whipped his last kunai out. _I have to finish this guy for good!_

With a battle cry, he swung toward the man, feigning a roundhouse kick and planning to sweep his knife towards his throat. The man was more experienced than Naruto hoped he'd be. The Akatsuki leader simply grabbed his leg, swinging him into the wall.

"This ends now, host!"

Sage chakra beginning to fade, Naruto bounced back from the wall, desperate to finish this before it was gone for good. But every kick, punch, or slash, feigned and not, Madara either blocked or parried perfectly. It was inhuman how flawless and practiced he seemed to be, on a familiar level even. It was like he had fought Naruto before like this. Knew what kind of attacks he used, knew his style. And it ticked Naruto off.

Their short Taijutsu match ended with him skidding across the ground, his Sennin mode dying away.

_NO! I can't lose!_

Rage deafening, Naruto could feel _that_ shift in his body. The possessive shift that grew stronger and stronger as the seal weakened with each battle…He didn't need to see his eyes to know they were flickering to crimson, to feel hot acid power run through his veins. To feel the desire to rip this man to shreds bubbling to the surface…

The crystal started glowing, reminding him of the need to keep the dark power of the Kyuubi at bay—and Madara, noticing the change did the first thing he could to stop the transformation from happening.

"I don't think so Kyuubi!" With the boy rushing towards him, chakra shifting dangerously into one not his own, Madara slammed his fist straight into his stomach.

"_Gwah!"_

The boy was sent flying to the ground. Rolling into a ball, arms holding his stomach as a defense mechanism. Kami he couldn't breathe! Panicking, he fought for breath once again, the Kyuubi's power rush completely halted.

The man hovered over him, watchful eye narrowed as the boy groaned loudly in pain. His blood smearing on the ground whenever he moved.

"The seal your father placed on you has weakened so much…"

Regardless the pain Naruto let out the biggest bout of laughter which only made him hurt more. Which in turn made him laugh again. Surely the man knew the story of how the Fourth Hokage put the seal on him, especially since he might have been there if what the Kyuubi told him was true. He sure as heck wasn't that guy's son! Like a Hokage could ever damn his own child. Hah!

"I-Idiot!" he growled once he could speak. "I don't have a dad!"

The man shook his head in disappointment. "They really haven't told you anything…I'm actually surprised, Naruto. Considering the man he was, it's a shame."

Why did he sound so…serious about it. Like it was a matter of business and not some stupid lie. Man, what an actor.

"Quit with the nonsense!" Naruto yelled angrily, rolling back to his feet and ignoring the sequential throbs. "Let's finish this!"

"As you wish."

The man was suddenly behind him, his hand seizing his wrist, and with quick movement, uprooted him from the ground, flipping him over his surprisingly strong lean shoulder. Naruto cried out as he landed on his stomach, his arm threatening to break. It may not have even cracked, but there was a loud pop followed by excruciating pain, as the grip on him pushed his arm further into an unnatural locked position.

"Aaaaahhh! D-dirty cheater!"

Then, silently came words, and movements he couldn't follow from his vantage point on the ground, his face pressed into the cold rock. He only caught on to "_Kuro!"_ before Madara slammed his hand into his back, sliding his fingers up his spine.

Whatever seal jutsu it was, it hurt, sending stinging shots from the touch, causing him to scream until he managed to stifle it through groans. He was not going to give the man the satisfaction of hearing him scream, even as the jutsu lingered in his center with icy fire, and spread through his limbs, ending at his fingertips.

Unbelievably, the painful experience only lasted a second before it left as suddenly as it had come.

"Wha—?" he croaked, overwhelmed the sudden and extreme feeling of weakness that followed. Where ever they had been, his clones disappeared in response to his drastic chakra change. "Whaddya…do to me?"

"I believe I dislocated your should—"

"NO! My back! It…WHAT'D YOU DO TO ME?!"

"Well," he said, leaning his head near Naruto's ear as he sat on him, using his weight to straddle the blond. "I simply took your chakra control away. Rather convenient trick, isn't it?"

"What?!"

The man sighed and began pulling wire from his cloak. Naruto realizing what he was about to do, tried twisting free but it was useless. His dislocated shoulder wouldn't let his arm cooperate. And just as the man said, his chakra wouldn't come at his command. It just…nothing. It did nothing. He groaned in frustration, feeling his wrist pulled together. Regardless his squirms and oaths, they were tied behind his back.

There's no way a seal could completely take his chakra control away! He just had to calm down and focus better. If he summoned it to his hands he should be able to break free from the wire. But even as he tried, the man's words still proved true. There wasn't even so much of a flicker. He just couldn't grab his chakra, let alone use it. He tugged at his binds in frustration, the metal of the ninja wire cutting at his straining wrists.

"That's why it's centered on your back, right around the center of the chakra network," the man continued, forcing him to his feet. Or trying to anyway. "Unfortunately, the con is it sucks a lot of my chakra….And must you struggle so much? Walk, Naruto. Back to Kisame."

Growling, Naruto let his body go limp so Madara was forced to bear all his weight. Impatient, the man pulled him by his bad arm this time. "I'm _tired_, and have a ways to go. I'll drag you if I have to, so you might as well stop. Unless you want the other arm dislocated as well."

"Argh—I hate you!" Naruto hissed, trying to ignore the pain as he still refused to comply.

"I'd rather save my chakra and not resort to Genjutsu, but I will if you continue to be difficult."

"Screw you! Your threats won't work on me! Now untie me and we'll deck it out! And you can be a man and not hit me from behind this time!"

Eyes narrowed dangerously, Madara swung his hand in a vicious backhand that sounded throughout the hall.

"Listen, _boy_," he growled, grabbing Naruto's chin and forcing their eyes to meet. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to protect himself, his cheek burning red from the blow. "You are now the Akatsuki's captive. You understand? We have the say over you. You're in a bad spot. And you _will _cooperate with us or suffer the consequences."

"Just wait until I drag you to Konoha," Naruto growled back. "We'll see who's in a bad spot!" Then he twisted his chin free and bit Madara's hand as hard as he could, his teeth tearing through the material of the glove and digging further in into what should have been a bone-snapping latch.

But no blood came.

Before he could ponder this, he was thrown back, toppled, and the world became black.

_-xXx-_

"Why don't you just take him with you in that dimension jutsu of yours?" Kisame asked as the Akatsuki head dumped the Jinchuuriki to the floor.

Proceeding to empty the boy of his holsters and weapons, the man answered. "Because he can be unpredictable. While he was under Genjutsu earlier I noticed...a _thing_ Itachi had left inside him. I'm not sure what it does and don't have time to figure it out yet. But I have a feeling certain types of Sharingan techniques could trigger it, and again, time is of the essence."

The man could not help remember the time Itachi had set a trap on Sasuke as a precaution. Without his jutsu he would have died. It looks like Itachi had gotten to Naruto at some point too...

Kisame chuckled, recalling his old teammate. "He'd do something like that but to Naruto? What was the point?"

The man having collected everything off the host, tucked them away in his pouch. "I'm not sure, but you're going to have to guard him until Pain arrives."

"What?!"

"Sasuke's failure to catch the Hachibi has cost us time and complicated things. When Pain arrives we'll decide what to do now that we're a Bijuu short of his time of extraction. The Kyuubi must be sealed last..." He stood, readying to leave.

"_Guard_ duty?" Kisame asked again, distastefully.

"I apologize for the inconvenience. I know he'll make for all kinds of trouble...And I'm going to have to ask you to not dismember him in any way."

"Why? He'll be less troublesome that way," Kisame said, smiling now, his teeth flashing in a chuckle and sword trilling with anticipation.

"On the contrary, Kisame. Cutting a limb proves to be a medical nuisance as it causes severe bleeding. We don't need him bleeding to death before Pain even gets here."

They both knew Kisame was more experienced killing targets than keeping them alive. The head member was about to leave when he remembered Naruto's previously red eyes.

He'd need to do something about that.

"_Uuuunnn."_

Naruto shifted, as he began to wake. Regaining control of his senses he twisted around to see where he was. He had heard a soft hum of conversation. It took him a moment to remember who the voices belonged to. Madara and Kisame. Great, just great.

"Well, good morning, sunshine."

Naruto groaned, trying to sit up. "Shuddup ya stupid shark."

_Dang it, I'm just back at the beginning again!_

No. This wasn't the foyer. He appeared to be a much smaller and bare room. A few candles sat around on crates and barrels, but other than that, and a closed wooden door, that was all there was. He was going to assume the door was locked. Regardless, he twisted uselessly at his binds.

He paused briefly when he noticed how Madara had a hand pressed to his head where Naruto had struck him earlier. A small dash of pride flowed him like a bead of hope. He had at least managed to hurt the man. That had to count for something at least. As for that hand...Another glove. Why did the man feel he had to cover even his hands? What was the point in that? And now that Naruto remembered the brief incident, Madara had tasted...He didn't know a word for it, but he knew it hadn't tasted like natural skin.

"Kisame, not only can he cause trouble but the seal is a lot more weaker than we accounted for. With his seal we now have the Kyuubi to factor in."

Naruto glared. "Back off." Why was he so close to him? _Geez, please tell me he's not gonna hit me again. _

The man's eye closed into what seemed like a grin like Kakashi used to do. Naruto winced and before he could scoot back, the Uchiha grabbed the stringed necklace around Naruto's neck, ripping it off.

"Hey! Give that back!"

Throwing it to Kisame, the man said, "Let that be an incentive to behave yourself Naruto. You attempt to dance with the devil inside you and you won't make it. It will destroy your soul, do you hear me? And then every word you've ever spouted about saving your friend will prove to be nothing but hastily spouted and pathetic lies.

"And even if you did release the Kyuubi, don't think for a moment Kisame wouldn't be able to handle it. We've caught seven beasts before you and another will be hardly any different...So sit there and _be good_. Oh! And before I forget, let me at least try to tighten it a bit."

Naruto hissed as Madara pressed his fingers to the Kyuubi's binding seal, uttering words that made the black markings on his stomach tingle. Again, he felt part of him weaken, his being not as thriving as before. Stripped.

"Screw you," Naruto growled as the man pulled away. "_I'm out of here._"

The man chuckled. "We'll see about that." He turned to leave but when Naruto hissed "Trash!" Madara paused, his back turned toward him.

The room became dead silent, and air thick.

Naruto couldn't help utter "Scum", the teachings of Kakashi ringing in his ears. This was a man originally from Konoha after all.

_Those who disobey the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are far worse..._

The masked figure turned so fast on Naruto he ducked, thinking he'd be struck. But the man didn't slap him. Instead, he latched his fingers harshly on the boys jaw bone, forcing his face up towards his. His gaze was intense, and Naruto was suddenly glad he couldn't see the rest of his face in its intense anger.

"Scum, you say?" The vice grip tightened, no doubt leaving bruises. His voice was harsher than ice. Why did it feel like...Like he wasn't talking to him? He was staring at Naruto's face but it felt like he was looking past it, seeing someone else. _Talking _to someone else. "To think Konoha _breeds_ such naivety. _You ruined everything_."

Naruto squirmed against his grip until he was dropped back.

"Am I scum for wanting to bring peace?" Madara asked over Naruto's moans, composing himself. "For seeing the truth of the ninja world? Words mean nothing in the end. You'll soon learn the truth, Naruto. Just as Sasuke did. And I can't wait to be there when you do."

"SASUKE WOULD NEVER—"

He was gone before Naruto even finished. Naruto groaned in his frustration and Kisame laughed at it.

Sighing, Naruto leaned back into a wall. What was wrong with these people? And that man? A lot of his words wouldn't leave Naruto.

Sasuke. The seal, the Fourth, and his "father". All the random comments, and the odd feeling of familiarity...

And Kisame.

He looked at the towering man. The shark-like figure was sitting on a crate and was staring at him with a watchful eye. "Don't even try to do anything smart," the Akatsuki member chuckled, grip tight on his sword.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

_With only one Akatsuki member here this may be my only chance to escape. One on one are much better odds, but…_

For what had to be the hundredth time, he struggled at his binds and besides some cuts and throbbing in his right arm it proved to do be utterly fruitless. He glared at the ground.

_I…I need to come up with a plan. Just rushing in like I always do ain't gonna cut it anymore. If that man was right about anything it's that this is a whole new ball game. But how the heck do I…?_

And then an idea struck him. He grinned. He could do this. He totally could. It'd just take a bit of buying time and recovering first. Although, he had a feeling Kisame wouldn't fix his shoulder so he would just have to make do with it being dislocated.

After he had let himself doze off for what had to be a few hours he began his plans. By then Kisame had began whetting the different points on his blade, each making annoying screeching sounds.

"Hey Kisame?"

"What?" he snapped.

"I have to pee."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

To be continued in: TURN 3 At Night's Edge _(Previously "Drink Up" and "Woof, Woof")_

_While Naruto tries to escape and put up with his injuries and new seals, a confrontation between Konoha and Konan ignites in attempt to finalize their claim over him._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_AN: How's this chap for a change?! __So much of it's the same while parts of it are already changing, the settings, the rush, the spunk Naruto has. He's only gonna get worse. Rebellious little wisecrack who's prob gonna tell someone to screw themselves every chap XD_

_Please review, feedback helps me improve! __Know the drill? Suggestions welcome and wanted. If you're new I'd love your predictions. If you're old, I'd love your thoughts on changes, or concerns. And new or old, I will always try to respond back in a PM. Thank you._

_One last thing, recommendations for music will be listed first off in same fashion from now on. Those who know me should know I love music of a wide variety, while not so much cliché pop. (Basically everything but country and everyday pop.) Feel free to either experiment or suggest your own music recommendations. The more interaction, the better!_


	3. At Night's Edge

NOTE: THIS HAS BEEN EDITED &amp; UPDATED

* * *

**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

* * *

_"I have to pee."_

Just four simple words, and endless possible implications, all of which the Akatsuki member had no doubt involved some rash plan of escape.

Kisame looked the host over.

Naruto was literally covered in layers of grime, blood, and perspiration. He could very well just want to get himself relieved and situated. But then again, this was the obnoxious brat after all.

Kisame quickly waged the chances of him being able to cause any substantial amount of trouble after relieving himself—he would need his hands unbound for that after all and therein lies opportunity. Still, chances of any true threat were beyond low. His chakra was sealed, the Kyuubi at bay. And judging by the bulge jutting out slightly around his shoulder, the joint there was displaced, leaving him with one good arm with which to fight should he try. And to top it, his physical and emotional state had to be taxed of all strength after both Pain and Madara's traumatizing treatment.

_All right then. I'll take him to the nearest room with a bathroom. That'd be that cultist's..._

"Have it your way, brat," Kisame said, getting to his feet. "And just a heads up, I've had people try to pull this card on me before and they didn't live to see another day. Try anything funny and I may not be allowed to kill you but you _will _wish I had. Understand?"

Fighting back his excitement, Naruto nodded as calmly as he could. "Gotcha." His plans were coming into motion...

On that, Kisame wrenched Naruto up by his elbow. Naruto let out a quiet grunt, hissing, "Easy there, shark face, _easy_."

Kisame gave him an amused but measuring look before pulling him on towards the direction of Hidan's old room which was simply right next to theirs. Hidan's hadn't been touched since he had been felled by Konoha shinobi. There was no telling what was in there now. And now that Kisame thought of it, he couldn't wait to see Naruto's reaction to it. Konoha shinobi were quite the innocent angels when compared to the followers of Jashin. It was a feat that one of their own had even managed to take the freak out.

Little did Kisame know that a particular Konoha shinobi was about to take another Akatsuki member off the playing field, and by means nobody could have predicted.

_-xXx-_

**TURN 3: At Night's Edge (Konoha VS Akatsuki)**

OR

_**Kisame, the Babysitter + Drink Up! + woof, woof**_

_-xXx-_

"_Okay,"_ Shikamaru's voice buzzed over their radios as the team raced from the gates of their destroyed village. Once there, the three came to a stop and waited for further directions from the young genius. "_There are _two _high points where the real Pain could be controlling his puppets."_

Ahead of his team by a number of meters, Gai looked back and forth, studying the hastily formed team, then out, further out, into the distance. Already the sun was beginning its descent from its peaked throne and darkness would replace it. They didn't have much time until that point.

"Two?" he asked.

"_Yeah, and unfortunately they're in opposite directions..."_

"How the heck are we supposed to reach both of them in time!?" Inoichi exclaimed angrily, already knowing full and well that their window for a _somewhat_ successful counterattack was steadily declining by the minute. "They have what they came for and they're not going to just linger—"

"Calm yourself, Inoichi," a calm Shikaku murmured, his finger tracing over his scarred chin. "We'll have to split into two groups and go after them at the same time."

"_Dad's right."_

"But this is the _Akatsuki_. Last time a small squad went after just two of their _gimps_..." Inoichi looked down, almost apologetically. He didn't need to say the rest out loud. They all knew it. Someone precious to them had ended up dead. A comrade. A sensei. A _father._

The wince on the other end was still audible. But finally: "_That may be but we can't just tuck tails and do nothing. Besides, if I recall correctly we took out two of their members because of that incident. _Two. _We can do it again, and cripple the Akatsuki's through downing its numbers even more. Just...come back alive...Dad. Everyone."_

Gai nodded determinedly. What was this but a challenge? And all challenges were what shaped you into something stronger. Endurance is what made a man a shinobi. "And that we will. With the power of youth and the Will of Fire! Give us the coordinates Shikamaru."

_We will win this. We still can._

There was a ruffling on the other end, from a map as Shikamaru ran his finger along the scope of it and all its creases. "There's a grouping of old trees, on the hill about half a kilometer south of you that could be their hiding spot. The other, right behind the mountain to the north."

Shikaku nodded. "Gai, have your team heads towards the south, we'll take care of the northern mountain. It's essential we try to divide up our teams as evenly and strategically as possible, considering teamwork and jutsu compatibility."

Inoichi seemed hesitant for a moment." He looked towards the younger half of their group.

"It'll be alright," Neji said. "We three may be inferior in years but we aren't to be underestimated."

Gai smiled proudly. "He's right about that. My team's the best of the best. Right Lee?"

Nothing.

"Lee?"

Lee's round eyes were glued to the grass, his fingers clenched tightly onto his backpack straps. This seemed to go on for a minute before he blinked, realizing he was being spoken to. Recollecting himself from his thoughts, he gave a quick, "Y-yes Sensei!"

Gai looked at him suspiciously for a moment. Resolving it was nothing he patted him on the back and turned towards the fathers.

"Very well. Whoever finds them first wait as long as possible for the other team to arrive so we can all attack them at once. We'll have a better chance that way. But if that's not possible...I will trust the team leader's judgment. Scatter!"

On that the group divided, taking flight into the trees.

Leaping from branch to branch, Neji glanced briefly back to his green-clad friend. His fingers were still clenched tightly to his backpack, the contents of which their sensei did not yet know.

Tenten, also noticing, said nothing, but continued on with a steeled expression, remembering the events of earlier...

"_We will go," _Neji had said. _"But first, I'd like a private meeting…with Lee."_

Something had happened between the two.

_Something._

_-xXx-_

The Akatsuki's current hideout was compact once you weren't in the main area. The rooms, as Kisame had pointed out, where jointed, connected by a single bathroom for each set of partners. These room couplets nearly took up the entire cave-like halls, leading to a spider web of hallways, each webbing out from the core of the hideout, the main area and foyer.

Hidan and Kakuzu's rooms just happened to be closest to their little closet space of a temporary holding cell because the other Akatsuki member's rooms were in the opposite direction, the east wing, seeing as how the immortal duo hadn't been ones to be around others, and they had required being closer to the hideout's "other features." When Naruto asked what those features were Kisame just told him to shut up and walk faster.

Unfortunately for Naruto, the joints were Pain had impaled him were bleeding again and then there was the extremely uncomfortable position his arms were in. He risked a glance to his captor. "Can you untie me now? I mean you can't expect me to just p—"

The glare Kisame sent him was frigid enough to send a shiver down any person's spine but he took a deep breath and ignored it. He just had to bide his time, it couldn't be much longer now. They were nearing a door and if he played this right, it would be his way to freedom. He didn't care what the Akatsuki members said. He was going to leave!

Kisame opened the door, and the smell that immediately spewed out nearly made him vomit. Foulness. Pure foul air.

"Is there a dead dog in here or something?!" he exclaimed, desperately wishing he could cover his nose.

Kisame chuckled. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised. Although..." Here he grinned devilishly. "Hidan liked stashing humans the most. And they were _always_ a _mess_."

"Ewwwww!"

Cringing, Naruto looked around the room, taking careful note of it for inevitable future reference. Studying it as they walked through, he noticed how all the furniture was nicked by long thin slices, the walls, covered with scythe blades on pegs and how absolutely everything seemed to be stained with blood.

_Blood._

He blinked, mind going blank...

_Shoji Screen doors covered with fresh crimson liquid, burning across the paper in streaks and splatters._

_Shadows dancing in the panels only to fall, leaving a lone figure... _

_Leaves blowing outside, contrasting against the bright, full moon and the sound of a little boy's scream_—

He quickly blinked, trying to shut his mind off to the images and sounds, not allowing himself to be swallowed by the flashbacks of that terrible Genjutsu.

Instead he focused on the next oddity, anything to get the lie-filled nightmare out of his mind: the graffiti. Their words so foul he had never even seen them written down before, just spoken by the scummiest of bandits, and only rarely at that.

"Hey Kisame," he suddenly asked, noticing a headband lying on top the dresser, almost neatly as if for display. _That's the Cloud symbol, but I thought there were no Cloud Akatsuki members.._. He could feel something inside him stir, knowing he probably already knew the answer but he asked the question anyway. "What's that from?"

Kisame's gaze followed the direction Naruto was pointing him towards and then he laughed. "That two-tailed kitty Jinchuuriki, I believe. He performed his little ritual on her before turning her into Leader-sama. Hah, Leader was ticked about it, we all were. Took us even longer just to get the sealing over with."

Naruto's stomach clenched and he closed his eyes at the sight. _Horrible. That poor person, to have to not only die, but go through that psycho's torture as well. Just like Asuma. _From his lips came a frail whisper. "_Monster._"

Just how many had Hidan sadistically murdered? And kept around as trophies? Ugh.

"Huh? What was that?"

"I said—"

He was pushed into a bathroom, the inside less worse than the former occupant's room but still unpleasant. Once inside, Kisame cut the wire at his wrists and backed away, pointing the knife around. "Look, Naruto," he said slowly, enunciating his words slowly as if he was explaining something to a four-year old. "There's nowhere you can run here. Understand? So get any of naive thoughts of escape out of your mind."

Even so, Naruto looked around the bathroom like he had the room. Quietly thinking. _No window...Another door. No bars. The sink...It's_—

Kisame continued his instructions. "You'll get yourself situated then it's back to where we were. No funny business, kid."

Naruto gave a defeated sigh and placed his hand on his bad arm, rubbing it and, murmuring pitiably, "So you're right...It's not like I can do anything like this anyway...Now leave. Please."

There was a laugh, the door closed, and the knob clicked. _Locked from the outside._

"You got three minutes before I come in, whether you're done or not."

Naruto's eyes flicked to the sink again.

Then, Kisame's voice came in through the wood one last time.

Naruto didn't know why, not yet, but his words would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"And as for him being a monster, _aren't we all?_"

_ - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - _

As fate would have it, the young shinobi came upon the correct location first.

"There it is," Neji spoke into his radio, his Byakugan-activated eyes scanning a false tree. The hiding spot was surrounding by an exterior that was infused with chakra, making it easy to examine with his Byakugan eyes now that he was within the proper distance to it. On the other hand, tracking it from afar had been excruciatingly a nuisance, the adults would learn, as the Akatsuki kept switching their chakra frequency.

And by now they were far enough from Team 9 that getting there was going to take precious time, making it all the more risky for the young team, even after Neji told them the direct coordinates.

_"Right," _Tenten answer on her end, a little further away than Neji_. "What first?"_

"Hang on," he whispered studying the spot more closely, his body hidden in the surrounding foliage. For a moment he thought he'd seen some movement, fleeting and faint. Narrowing his eyes to focus, his breath caught as suddenly something wrapped around his leg. He looked down, hand already held out to swipe the attacker off, but what was there, latching onto him, took him for surprise. Many pieces of bright white paper squeezed at his limb viciously. "What the..."

He wrenched himself free from the paper. The fact he was fighting free from something as seemingly frail as paper seemed absolutely ludicrous but it proved stronger than he'd expected. It held to him harder than duct tape, and it forced him to summon chakra to his hands to even rip it off...

"What is this?"

He ducked. Something was flying straight at him from above. Thanks to his bloodline trait he had ducked just in time. The projectile landed in the tree forcefully enough to stick. Neji stared at it wide-eyed, expecting a weapon of steel but...What was there was no typical weapon. It was paper again. Then he realized what was making the paper so strong. All of it was blaring with a blue aura. Meaning the paper being used to attack him with was being infused with chakra. Just like with the tree. Meaning, this person was the same one hiding.

He pressed the button on his radio speaker, whispering furiously into it, "They know where I am. Initiate the attack _immediately_!"

Waiting for the others to arrive wasn't an option.

"_Gotcha!"_ Lee cried. "_Give me a few moments and I will be there! Although, what are we dealing with?_"

Neji leapt from his spot, landing on the ground in a crouch. "They're fast and they attack with…paper."

_"Paper!?"_ shouted Lee skeptically on his end.

Tenten was just as doubtful. _"What kind of attack is that? You sure you're not mistaken, Neji? Could they be special seals? Or some new kind of weapon? Perhaps some flexible—"_

"Yes I'm sure, but don't underestimate it! It has the same force as a kunai! Lee, until the attacker shows themselves, your full speed should suffice to dodge their jutsu, still, don't give it a chance to wrap around you. We need you to attack them close range with me as soon as you can. Tenten, stay at a long distance from us and prepare a scroll with as many weapons to counteract theirs as you can! We'll need cover."

"_Gotcha."_

"Alright, then—" Suddenly a whole onslaught of paper stars flew towards him, their tips blaring in the sun and aimed for his vital points. With a curse, he swung his palms. "_Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!"_

The projectiles bounced off the barrier he created with his moving hands until no more came and he spun to a stop. He turned his eyes towards the direction the paper weapons had come from. This time he saw a figure, an Akatsuki woman, glaring right back at him. Studying him closely. At his defensive abilities, no doubt already calculating her game plan.

He studied her just the same. _That piercing under her lip...She's definitely with Pain._

As if to confirm his deduction, she spat out, "You would _dare _attempt to stop _God's_ plans? You wretched child." She raised her arms, the limbs releasing hundreds of sheets of paper. It seemed as if her entire being was made of nothing but the fragile yet dangerous sheets. Then came two wings, spreading out of her back like the wings of an angel.

Neji raised his own arms in the Gentle Fist stance. He smirked, seeing Lee and Tenten in his peripheral vision. Inexplicably, a shiver of pride, even _excitement_, ran through him.

"He's no god."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The first thing Naruto did was rush to the sink, filling it with water to the brim. He splashed the liquid onto his face, his neck, and tried his best washing his hands. He grimaced as he did so, realizing that all the red there, the pink, it wasn't going to go away. The damage was deep. And still ever present.

What was going on? His hands, where they had been impaled all the way through, had closed up some, meaning they had healed a little, but still remained gaping, as did the chafing at his wrists. Such things should be erased completely by now. Hours had to have passed. Or had they not? His sense of time was all screwed up, just like he was.

"Why am I not healing?" he whispered as he continued to wipe his face. Confused, he glanced into the water's reflection in the sink. (There was no mirror, only a patch of space suggesting one had once been there.) The simple scratch from earlier hadn't healed either. "This is ridiculous! Something...something had to have been done to me."

Ah, then it hit him. Madara had done something not only with his chakra, but the Kyuubi's seal itself a little later on. It had been a little like what Orochimaru had done to him in the Forest of Death. Similar but different, and still a variant of a jutsu meant to keep him from the Kyuubi. That would explain why his hands had started healing but hadn't finished.

_So until I figure this thing out…I'm really on my own, like a normal person. _His brow furrowed. He did not like this. At _all_.

Well, nothing he could do about it now. He would just have to have Sakura look at it later, or Tsunade, assuming she was still alive after exhausting her chakra and jutsu like that...

Finally relieving himself - he hadn't been lying when he'd told Kisame he had to pee - he thought carefully. There was no way in or out except through the doors. After finishing up, he tested Kakuzu's door to the bathroom and...No luck. Locked. Dang.

Outside the other: "Hey, you 'bout finished up in there?"

Panic threatened to creep up on him. He could probably kick that other door in but that would rouse Kisame's attention and the shark would be on him before Naruto had the chance to run into the unknown again. He didn't know what was on the other side. And if he _had_ to fight Kisame at this rate he would rather do so with at least one advantage. If he could just reach Hidan's room again…

It was his only hope. This guy was a huge brute. Towering and broad. Naruto? Under normal circumstance he had no doubt he could put up a decent fight but now? He was still weakened down from the previous trials. Couldn't even move one arm without it throbbing terribly.

But he had no other choice. Hidan's room was his best option. But…Time. He needed just a bit more, more than he knew he had, so he called out, "I'm...uh...Hang on, I gotta do number two!"

"TMI, kid. And done or not, you got one minute."

He uttered a curse as he slumped to the ground and reached for the pipes under the sink.

"Thirty seconds, kid. I'm tired of waiting!"

He latched onto the foremost slip nut and washer, twisting at them in desperation. He had done this once before, as a prank on a store owner who had been particularly vicious and he prayed he was doing it right again. Sure, he had to remove the J-shaped pipe on more than one occasion to fix his own sink before when it had gotten clogged, but in those cases it had always been with the water turned off. Not to mention he had never removed it for such a purpose as this now.

_But if this doesn't work and I get caught….What if Kisame…No, he won't care about the mess, only me._

Sweat slid down his face in his panic as he struggled with loosening the contraption. Finally, he just pulled at it as hard as he could, breaking the metallic trap off with a _clang, _then knowing the noise would have alerted Kisame, gave a strong kick to the remaining pipe. Half-seconds now! He turned the faucet on. Water sprayed out instantly, wetting the floor.

"Ah!" he screamed, hiding the removed pipe behind his back. "Kisame! I think I just broke your sink! Help!"

He fingers clenched tightly to the cold, curved surface. _Now._

The door slammed open, (the lock breaking, Naruto noticed with satisfaction). Kisame entered through it very angrily. "You idiot!" He shoved Naruto to the side, causing him to land against the now wet ground. "Look at what you've done! I ought to use _you _to dry the floor!"

"It wasn't working!" Naruto shouted defensively, trying to scramble his way from the quickly flooding mess. "Geez, I just wanted to fix it!"

Kisame scoffed. "Stupid kid." He kneeled down to examine the pipes, not even bothering to turn the faucet off. After only a moment of inspection, he began, "Where's the—"

Naruto pulled out the J-Pipe from behind his back and slammed it as hard as he could against the man's neck. Kisame fell down. But he wasn't unconscious, merely stunned, and was already planting his palms against the ground, a half second from bouncing back up, and before he could Naruto jumped on his back wrapping his arm around his throat.

"Stay down!" he screamed.

Kisame, of course, thrashed. "I knew it!" He rolled onto his back, putting half his weight on Naruto, and swung himself upright.

Naruto groaned but managed to tighten his latch around Kisame who proceeded to claw at his arm, trying to wrench him free. But Naruto was hanging on for dear life, trying his best to cut off the man's oxygen, and somehow in the chaos, the slippery water, Naruto gained just an instant to clap Kisame's ear, causing him to lose balance. Then Kisame was falling to his side, somehow managing to twist himself at the last second to slam nearly all his weight into Naruto again, but worse this time.

Naruto couldn't even scream from the crushing pain, only groan as he thought he heard his own ribs crack from the impact, but he held all the more tighter, legs encircling the giant's torso stubbornly.

"You brat," Kisame growled, pushing harder into Naruto. "You wanna seriously play this? Oh, I'll play but it's going to end with you damaged!" To emphasis his words, he rammed his back into the wall. The crack of Naruto's ribcage was definite this time, and resounded in the room with cruel echoes and his cry.

"I don't care!" Naruto rasped. "Ugh—I'd rather be damaged than broken!"

Kisame's lips pursed in a playful smirk. "So be it, brat."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

In a matter of moments the woman had created two clones from the paper, each one now attacking his team members a ways away from him.

Neji's head frantically whipped back in forth as he tried to keep track of Tenten and Lee. It was hard to keep up with not only the clones but the thousands of sharp weapons attacking them from all directions. So numerous it looked like they were dancing in a forest of falling snow. But these flakes were anything but fragile.

Neji swung his palms at the paper stars while Tenten, leaping around the trees, kept chucking scrolls out and knocking the majority of the weapons out with her own onslaught. Her aid was the only reason both Neji and Lee even had enough time to move against the rest. But if she kept this up Neji knew she would run out. They had to take out the original fast or else they would all be swept up in the Akatsuki member's ferocious storm.

Lee, who was supposed to be his backup in doing that, was having less luck than either of them. He was fast, yes, but when fighting in a forest against so many weapons at the same time it slowed him down considerably, even with Tenten's protection.

"LEE! BEHIND YOU! TENTEN TO THE LEFT!" Neji cried, noticing paper clones nearing them from the cover of trees. Being forewarned, both positioned themselves to guard against the direct assault. With only a few moves, they easily took out the paper clones which disappeared before they could explode.

The real one started circling Neji, glaring him down with scrutiny-filled eyes. Her hair blew slightly in the wind carrying a scent of shampoo and a strange scent Neji recognized as the metal of Pain's rods.

"Those eyes of yours…" she began to say.

"_Neji,"_ Shikamaru hissed in the radio. "_You're going to have to find a way to capture her alive."_

He raised his hands towards her, mentally nodding. She was obviously valuable to the Akatsuki and its monstrous leader, which made her a possible bargaining chip…Shikamaru would have figured that out long ago.

"_You said she attacks with paper. If my sources are correct she is directly linked to Amegakure where Pain comes from. According to the reports Tsunade filled, she was formerly a pupil of Jiraiya's, along with Yahiko, Pain's head body."_

Pain, Yahiko, and Jiraiya's dying message. Could the real Yahiko still be in that tree? There was only one way to find out. Defeat his guard dog because she obviously wasn't going to let them pass.

"You cannot stop god's design but still you're so troublesome. I can't have that, young one. No, I _will not_ have that." She raised her arm above her head, summoning a huge hoard of paper stars. She sent them flying directly at Neji.

But not before what seemed like a tornado of shuriken enveloped Tenten and at some point between trying to watch out for her and Lee as he struggled in trying to reach Neji with the ground under him constantly splitting, he lost his chance to activate his jutsu and cringed as dozens of paper-stars cut into him like flying knives.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to focus fully on his own self, swinging his palms to try to fend off the rest. Had her attacks not been so widespread and fast, Lee would have already reached him and lashed out on her with his equally fast, if not more so, attacks; all under Tenten's net. But no. This was exactly what she wanted, them separated! And it was working, she would win at this rate.

"_Neji! Are you alright!? My dad should be there any minute. Lee, you've got to get to the real one!"_

Shikamaru called his name again, not getting an answer. He swore.

"He's preoccupied," Neji said quickly, ducking behind a tree. He ignored the many slicing pains riddled all over his body. "Her attacks are extremely long range. She's not giving him any chance."

Again Shikamaru swore. If only he could be there with his shadow jutsu! Sighing, he did the only thing he could do. Gave his input. "_She's attacking all of you at once, right? That's three opponents versus one mind. Besides one, the rest are distractions. Play off that."_

"So…use Lee and Tenten's separation to my advantage? Isn't that more dangerous?"

"_I don't see any other logical choice, if she's so widespread in her attacks. Just don't let her wipe you guys out one by one like she's no doubt planning to."_

Konan watched with distaste. This team was young but not as weak as she had originally taken them for. Especially considering they were Konoha shinobi. Did Pain not just wipe all of them out? They should be in no position to fight when their village was nothing but rubble.

The weapon thrower nearly matched her when it came to producing projectiles but seemed to be running out. She was no longer able to block every blade with her own as she had when the battle first started. She was worthless now. The round-faced one was fast but not perfect…But the boy with the eyes, he was obviously of Hyuuga blood. A prodigy, inferior to the Akatsuki of course, but still….Even after losing so horribly they just kept at it.

Where did their strength to fight back come from? Did they really care so much for a single person? Why? Never before had a village spent so much force to rescue their own Jinchuuriki. Never. Suno had tried with Gaara but not to this degree let alone as fast. Didn't they understand it was suicide?

_Suicide..._

Then she understood why his eyes bothered her so much. They were just like—

Neji swung his palm at her while she seemed to be distracted. She quickly dispersed in an array of paper in order to dodge but suddenly solidified. Hissing, her hand swung, striking Neji's eyes then his ear, ripping his radio earpiece out.

"It's over!" The radio shattered in her clutch, crumbling to the forest floor bed before she swung her hand at him again.

Instinctively his hands moved to protect his face and she grabbed his wrists. Before he could pull free from her grip, paper wrapped itself around his arm. And not just any paper. Paper bombs.

"Make the slightest movement and I'll blow your arm off," she growled, her voice harsh as ice.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Kisame suddenly pushed himself up, lurching with enough force that it sent Naruto flying off him and he landed stomach-first on the floor. Groaning, he tried to push himself. That is, until Kisame slammed his foot on his back.

"Ahh! You're going to kill me!" he cried, tasting blood. "I'm too important to Madara to kill, remember?!"

Kisame laughed out loud. "Hah! We both know you can take a hit. Or a few." Naruto only managed to inch forward an inch before Kisame swung his big hand, slamming Naruto's face into the wet floor. He coughed, trying to twist his face from the water so he could breath.

"Trying to crawl away? I don't think so." Once again, Naruto found his arms being forcefully grabbed and brought together. Tied. He moaned in complaint, too breathless to speak.

"You're not leaving, brat, so stop resisting." Having made his point, Kisame moved back, allowing Naruto to get his air back. Red swirled into the watery floor as he coughed, nearly choking.

Regardless his condition, Naruto tried to pull himself up again only to collapse. The Akatsuki member chuckled. "Oh you won't be getting up, at least not on your own. You're too injured to. I'm making sure to that. I told you you'd regret it, didn't I? "

This time he managed in getting to his knees but still remained hunched over. Fingers clenching behind his back. "You can't do this Kisame," he whispered, voice caught between pained pants.

"And why not?"

"Because…" He pulled himself up further, using the edge of the sink as a support. "Ugh..."

If he could just stand…

Kisame crossed his arms, smirking. "Go on…"

"Because…" Naruto took a deep breath.

And dived.

He skidded across the flooded floor, sliding right under Kisame as if he was on a water slide. Kisame swore, reaching down, but it was too late. Naruto was on the other side and already out the door, and into Hidan's room, all thanks to all the water that had been loosed from the sink.

And not only that, he was racing for one of the blades, using the edge of it to cut his bonds.

Kisame didn't know how to respond, whether to groan in annoyance or laugh at the twerp's little scheme.

"I'm not giving up, no matter how hurt I have to get," Naruto growled, slinging a huge scythe from its wooden-pegged perch. The weight of the sickle contrasting with the staff was awkward when holding one-handedly, he noticed, but he held it as firm as he could. Pointed toward Kisame.

Kisame emerged from the bathroom, grinning sinisterly as, Naruto stood resolutely. In front of his Samahada. He had tossed to the side before the entering the bathroom and now the twerp thought it mattered if he was separated from it, as if he had some chance. How cute.

Kisame shook his head and clapped. "Well done, brat. Well done."

_Just how much had of that had he planned…or was it mere coincidence or luck?_

"But still…" His fingers starting to weave into seals.

"Careful, pup," Naruto goaded, interrupting him. "The small space we're in, you could accidentally kill me with your long range jutsu." He smirk widened. "And your master _Madara wouldn't want that,_ would he?"

Kisame paused and gave a shrug. "You're right about that." He cracked his knuckles. "Then again, I don't need them to take care of you. Let's play."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

His arm was covered harshly by many paper bombs.

_"Make the slightest movement and I'll blow your arm off."_

Neji glared. "Why haven't you already?"

"Call off the attack, now. Or I'll do it. I'll kill you, then your teammates."

What was going on with her? Was this some strange way of attempting to show _pity_?

"Go to hell," he spat. "And take that god of yours with you because we won't give up until we have Naruto back."

Her eyelids narrowed as she looked down on him, then out into the distance, expression cruel. By now she surely sensed the other team's chakra. They would be here in a matter of minutes. "What is he to you?" she hissed, glaring back at Neji now. "The Kyuubi is just a tool. One that is essential in bringing peace!" She spoke so with true conviction. "In your hands he will only bring eternal death. Now call off the attack! Or have you not seen enough death today?"

On cue a large amount of trees seemed to explode but they hadn't. They simply had dispersed in billions of strips of paper. Somewhere in it Tenten screamed.

"_TENTEN!" _he yelled. While this woman had fought Neji, she had distracted him, using the moment to rig the forest with even more false trees and traps. _She practically owns this space._

Squirming from her grip, he took his free hand and slammed it towards the woman's forehead. She disappeared again. Before she could reappear Neji ran towards the direction Tenten had been, ripping the paper bombs off his arm.

He found her on the ground, unconscious. There were multiple cuts, tears and pools of blood all over her and her clothes. Beside her form, her scrolls lay, shredded to pieces. Unusable. With her out…there was nothing to protect Lee from the onslaught of the woman's weapons. And he could hear Lee now, groaning and shouting, desperately trying to fend off the millions of traps she had set for him, too. If Neji tried to block them for Lee then he couldn't protect Tenten.

This women had managed to keep them all separated in their fight. But she had still underestimated them.

"Lee!" Neji called into Tenten's radio.

"_I'd like a private meeting. With Lee."_

_Lee's face, as the leader dug through the rubble, looking for something. Neon lights no longer shed light here, but added to the collection of destruction._

"_Neji?" he asked worriedly. "What is it you wanted to meet about?_

_Then he found it. Freeing it from a crate that had miraculously survived, he tried to hand it to Lee who stared at it dumbly, refusing to take it._

"_I-I can't."_

It was time to pull the last card out.

"_Can't is no longer an option. You _must_, just this once. For Naruto."_

_He swallowed nervously. "But my promise to Gai-sensei..."_

_Lee truly loved his sensei. He couldn't imagine going against him but..._

_A noise. Pink hair seemed bright in the smoky darkness as she crawled out from under a plank of wood._

_Sakura._

"_Lee..." she said weakly, pulling out an unconscious man with her, the owner of the destroyed shop. "Please. You have to save Naruto! I can't…I can't go with you guys. As a medic I have to stay with everyone else. Like this man here...But if you and Neji and everyone in the retrieval squad don't give it your all, they'll kill Naruto, just like they did with Gaara. Remember? And no one will be able to bring him back like the Kazekage this time. Please! For me!"_

The woman had strategically taken Tenten out but she had underestimated Lee. Really, anyone would at first glance.

_Seeing Sakura cry, it broke Lee's heart, and he hurt more than he ever had before. He swallowed._

'_Please…For me…'_

_Naruto was his friend. And he couldn't imagine Sakura without Naruto. Because when Lee wasn't there, Naruto _was _and Lee never wanted that to change. He never wanted her to be alone, for her to think about that one friend they all had lost so many years ago._

_No. He would not lose another shinobi to the forces of evil. Never again!_

_So he took the intoxicating bottle._

"DRINK IT _NOW_!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

They were circling each other.

Naruto's eyes glistened, the blue of his irises icy cold as he stared Kisame down. "You're going to let me out of here, Kisame."

Raising his fists, the shark man laughed. "And even if I _did_ let you waltz right back to the foyer, do you think you could move that boulder without chakra? It takes more than brute strength. It takes a special chakra signal, Naruto. Like a secret passcode. One you don't know." The edges of his sharp teeth gleamed in the candlelight, not helping disprove the illusion that Naruto was trapped at all.

_Naruto, don't let this freak scare you. In fact…_The teen smirked. "Then you'll move it for me too. And when you do, I'll be sure to report that you were of assistance to my escape to the Hokage. She might grant you some clemency when I come back to destroy this place."

The giant man hooted with laughter. "Clemency!? Who says I want any from a soft village like yours!"

He charged forward. Naruto braced himself, swinging the scythe madly in front of him. "Back off buster!"

The dark blade barely made a scratch on him, merely cut like a cat's scratch, and Naruto leaped back. _Fudge! What's this guy made of! No, I just didn't strike at him, not enough anyway._

Naruto had to force his hand to steel as he made a wide swing at Kisame again, this time with more force and momentum. Kisame ducked and the foremost sickle of the three piece scythe skidded across the wall, creating sparks. While Naruto began pulling the awkward weaponized staff back up with his single hand, Kisame lurched forward, clobbering him.

"UGH!"

The following adrenalin rush gave him just enough energy to yank the blade back hard to defend himself, this time striking Kisame. There was a spray of liquid, whether of blood or water Naruto didn't care to find out. He made himself busy just trying to dash back from it and the huge brute.

He hit the wall and stood there, feeling sweat slide down his face. There was a laugh and Kisame was suddenly right back in front of him and had his huge hands wrapped around one of the sickles.

"Here's the thing kid," he hollered joyously, "You don't know what you're doing!"

On that, he twisted the blade and the next thing Naruto knew, the contraption was coming apart, falling to the floor in a pile of sickles and thick metal-like thread, even as he held the staff.

"AHHH! My scythe!"

Kisame grinned devilishly, kicking the blades from Hidan's weapon out of the way. "I've sparred Hidan enough to know how his devices work." He stepped forward, the dark outline of blood on his face making him look all the more dangerous as he grabbed the hilt of his own weapon, the Samehada. Naruto stared wide-eyed, sidling away against the wall. Closer to the door...

"Every. Single. One."

"Oh y-y-yeah?" he stuttered. "Well how about this?!" He slammed the bare staff square at Kisame's face.

It struck, but he didn't take time to watch the rest. He bolted for it.

Right out the door and down the hall, at the end of which he could make out the foyer. Kisame would expect him to dash through it...Which was why he had to take a turn, take him for surprise if he was gonna win. So he ran for the nearest passageway he saw when he came to an abrupt halt. Or rather, was forced to one.

_It's a barrier, _he thought, studying the characters hovering in front of him like a wall. On the other side he could just almost make out some crates which numerous weapons glinted inside of. _Must be the armory. Makes sense for Madara to seal it up before he left...Shame. I could have used it too!_

A noise...Kisame was coming! He started running again. The next and last entrance in the wing he got lucky. It was unbarred! He ran inside and was enveloped in a huge space of nothing but shelves. Tall shelves, filled with books upon books and scrolls. A library...Perfect for hiding!

For once he felt he could truly do this! He was smaller than Kisame so that meant that he could get away in tight spaces...

Well, at least he hoped so. He was about to be put to the test. As he dived into the many maze-like shelves he could hear Kisame's footsteps approaching...

Then, his voice. "No use hiding kid! I can sense your chakra. I know you're in here!"

Naruto beamed, climbing up one of the shelves where he would have a better vantage point. Not only that but he could easily get a good jump on Kisame from above, too. _Not for long, Shark-man. Not for long._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Finishing the potent alcohol, the green-suited member threw the empty bottle at a tree. It shattered and he watched it do so with a dumb smile on his face. It wouldn't be long now….

Neji winced as he lifted Tenten into his arms and jumped to the top of a tree and laid her on one of its huge branches for safety. Using Lee like this was dangerous as he had no control in his drunken state but they had no other choice. This enemy was too powerful to hold back on. It'd take speed to break her defense and the only thing faster than Neji was Lee's Drunken Fist style.

"Wait, Tenten," he whispered, gently cradling her against the bark. He promptly ripped his sleeve off and delicately wrapped it around a nasty-looking wound on her head. "Now then…" he leaped in front of the woman who was hovering in the air, trying to figure them out. He smirked. This time it was his turn to play distraction.

"Lee!" he cried, swinging his palms towards her, fast. She dashed back, about to summon her paper when Lee came at her like a bullet, faster than her paper could even attempt to stop him this time. Neji too. Lee crashed into the both of them. The team leader groaned from the impact but quickly scooted to the side, knowing it was far from over.

"Ha ha ha!" Lee laughed, swinging his fist madly at her. "That-wuz-funnnnn!"

"Curses!" She flew up, aiming to kick his face but he swerved to the side with inhuman speed, surprising her. "Ha! You can't catch me!"

In her furry, she focused her paper into in her hands, forming a huge spike-like shape out of it, taller than even her. "Take this! Shikigami Dan—"

Neji was on her this time, slapping her hands apart with his Gentle Fist Style. "I don't think so—now Lee!"

Timing had to be just right, he had to get away from her before Lee attacked. "_Eight Trigrams—Air Palm!"_

With a sucking whoosh of air she was sent flying back and into Lee's trajectory.

"Wheeee!"

Still stunned from Neji's powerful blow, she didn't even have time defend herself before Lee swung his leg right at her. The kick connected, and sent her flying once again, this time crashing into a tree. She slammed hard into it, nearly shattering it. Numerous bones snapped, letting out horrid cracking sounds.

"No…" she moaned, freeing herself from the wood. "What the heck are you? Can't you see it's all still futile!"

The drunk just laughed again, dodging her angry counter attacks. _How is this clown keeping up with me! _

Konan's eyes widened in horror when she saw a flash in the woods. A smear of color that could only be one thing. Backup.

_We don't have time for this! _Nagato _doesn't!_

_Nagato…_If anything could break through the impassive shell that had been forged into her, it was the thought of Nagato being put at risk. And she could feel her personality shift into one of desperation. Nagato was too low on chakra to put up with these fools again and they were too stupid to give up…And she…

"HEY GAI-SENSEI!" Lee bellowed happily, racing at her. It was now at the point where Neji couldn't even attempt to intervene. Lee was way too dangerous in this state. Those few times he had got drunk when he was younger had proven that and he'd only gotten more so with age. "I'M DOIN' IT! Yeah! Just do it! Doooooo it!"

Neji waved for Gai. Seconds now…

"Lee!" Gai's voice rang from afar.

So did a very angry Inoichi's. "Danget Gai, we need her alive! Stop him!"

Neji's fingers clenched as he watched the scene. Something was still off about this. Even drunk, this was still the Akatsuki…

Fire seemed to fill the woman's eyes. "No…" she hissed. "Stay away."

_Stay away._ _From him. He's weakened from the fight with the Kyuubi…._

But. _Madara._

Her being seethed with hatred at the thought of Konoha's number one rogue.

She screamed, paper flying from her body. And not just that, but chakra, monstrous amounts of it, way more chakra than was safe to her own body. Weakening herself and strengthening the clone….Neji thought she would attack again but the clone spread its wings and, instead, flew away…. And not only that, a wall of explosive paper suddenly went up, blocking them from its path.

It would be suicide to go after it. Not to mention they had to keep their focus on capturing her.

"_Go on ahead, leave…"_ she whispered before giving into the consuming blackness.

"Lee!" Dust and leaves flew up as Gai skidded to a stop by his pupil. His pupil was smiling like an idiot, completely in a drunken stupor. "Hi, Gai," he said laughing and wiggling his fingers in a dumb wave. "Hee hee. Tat tymed."

Gai frowned, and then sent a stern glare towards Neji who was still staring off into the direction the chakra-filled clone had taken, or rather at the potentially dangerous wall blocking the view of it. Was it for a suicide attack? No…

Before Lee could start up again Gai delivered a swift hit to knock him out. He didn't like doing it but it was better than chasing after him. Not again.

"Where's Tenten?" he asked Neji, scooping the unconscious Lee up into his arms. His face twisted into an expression of concern as he saw the many wounds covering his students. _I should have gotten here faster…My team…torn to bits._

"She lost consciousness, but it's nothing life-threatening. I put her over there."

Meanwhile, Shikaku and Inoichi raced towards the fallen Akatsuki member the moment they saw her. The blond placed his hand on her forehead, hissing. "You won't be waking up until Interrogation."

His brow furrowed as he concentrated on her unconscious mind, making sure it stayed that way.

"I can't believe we actually caught one," Shikaku murmured, pulling out some cuffs from a scroll.

"But," Gai said as the two men kept their focus solely on the woman. "Where's the other one? Neji?"

He blinked. _That's right. She must have been guarding him…Still, she had more than one chance to kill us, so why didn't she? It was almost like she held back…But why?_

"Neji!" Inoichi yelled, breaking Neji's train of thought. "We'll deal with her! Use your Byakugan to scout Pain out!"

"Yes."

Although Neji knew well that Pain wasn't there anymore. He didn't need to waste chakra to see that.

With a spin of his jutsu the wall of explosives was neutralized and he was racing through.

He dashed towards where the huge false tree was. Once there he found absolutely no one. Just a quickly disintegrating clone and a trail of smoke and dust. Evidence of a transportation jutsu of sorts, once again.

"So," he whispered. "She is his lamb…and he has escaped."

And that's why, only a second later, Pain was _there_, at the hideout.

Naruto could feel it in his bones, and he cursed, closing his eyes, wanting to throw-up. _Pain. He's here._

A spike of helplessness threatened to consume him. _I'm so screwed. One against seven….Ugh, I can't do this! I seriously can't!_

But still, even as he sensed that oh-so vile chakra enter the library, and heard him speak with Kisame, he could not give up.

He had to refuse that temptation, just as he always had. But today, he felt, that temptation was greater than he had ever known before.

_I can't fight them both so I'll just have to sneak out of here...If I can just sneak past I'll make it..._

"Kisame, why has the sealing ritual not begun yet?"

Kisame must have noticed he was here too because there were sounds of footsteps, and a tired, "The Hachibi turned out to be a dud..."

A dud? How had the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki managed to fool even the Akatsuki? Naruto wondered as he crawled carefully along the shelf, careful to not make the slightest noise. If he could just reach the foyer, forget what Kisame said about the secrete chakra signal, he didn't need it! Ah, only three shelves from what seemed to be another entrance from the one he had entered through, and then…

"He said the Kyuubi had to be last?"

"That is correct."

Holding his breath, he slowly continued to crawl, berating the fact he was leaving a smelly blood trail as he went. With stealth he climbed down. There was now only one single shelf barring him from the exit, and three separating him from where Kisame was talking.

Or so he thought.

"Where is Madara now?"

"Went to retrieve Sasuke again, to bring him back here."

Did it sound like their voices were closer? He froze, listening carefully. He dared not even breathe.

In the corner a glittering surface caught his eye. It was halfway wedged between some dustier scrolls. Something about the writing on its end struck him as familiar somehow, he couldn't quite place it, and he started reaching for it when...

"I see. And the host? Where is my Kyuubi?"

_Oh crap._

Suddenly, there was a loud slam and the shelf under Naruto started wobbling, dangerously close to tipping over, and failing to grasp the edge in time he was sent falling down along with what had to be hundreds of scrolls. He landed on the ground before the two Akatsuki members coughing from all the dust that came with them.

"Dang it!" He scrambled to his knees when Kisame grabbed him by his red cloak and slugged him square in the face. "He's been causing trouble, Leader-sama."

Naruto groaned, spitting out blood. "Ugh! You son of a bi—"

He was punched in the stomach this time, the man laughing as if at a joke. "What was that, lil' puppy?"

"Kisame," Pain said quietly. "That's enough."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, his fists shaking, but he could not make himself look at the owner of that stolen voice. The monster who was responsible for bringing him here, only tumbled to his knees, breathless from the punch. Kisame let his cloak go and shook his head.

Ugh, it hurt to breathe. It hurt to cough, and forcing himself to stop didn't make him feel any better.

"He brought this on himself. That's the second or third time he's tried to run since getting here."

"Is it? In so short a time..." Naruto could feel Pain's eyes boring into him. "It's surprising he still has so much fight in him."

_A lot more of it too_, Naruto mentally grumbled, groaning at the pain in his chest.

Pain stared at him, making Naruto feel all the more uncomfortable. "I don't expect him to be in mint condition, Kisame…"

His fingers latched onto Naruto's chin forcing his face up to where he could study it, not cruelly as Madara had done earlier but in honest curiosity. Naruto obviously squirmed but to no avail.

"I don't care how damaged he is, so long as there are no risks that could lead to an accidental death. Especially considering we will have to recapture the Hachibi and he must remain alive until then."

"What do you mean? It's not like I've completely crushed him…"

"Well, besides the fact there is blood from his lips, his breathing is off. Shallow. Has he been struggling with it for long? Before falling just now?"

The strange eyes flicked toward Kisame's, expecting an explanation.

Kisame rubbed the back of his head, almost sheepishly. "As I said, he's been rebellious. I might have...broken a few of his ribs…"

"And did you consider the risks of a punctured lung? Such accidents could kill him in a matter of minutes. In any case, the Kyuubi is too much of a commodity to us…The Taka's medic will have to repair it."

Naruto jerked his head free, scooting back from the two until his back hit the shelf behind them. _Don't touch me _he wanted to say, but his lips wouldn't form the words. Risks? _Commodity?_

"He's fine, believe me. Anyway, until Madara gets here, we'll need to keep him confined. And I've a good inkling we'll need some good old chains. Allow me to retrieve some." There was some amused smugness in his voice, causing Naruto to roll his eyes, grumbling some more. Kisame was having too much fun.

"Very well. While we wait for Madara. Shouldn't be long now, I sense his chakra."

Naruto's being seethed in anger. All this. It made him sick. And what was worse was that his run and Kisame and everyone else had taken a serious toll on him. But no. It couldn't end like this! He could not afford to let himself be bound again! By chains, no less, like a freaking dog.

"You...can't do this," he whispered. Then he glared straight, head-on at Pain. "I _won't_ stay here."

"It is not your place to say what you will and won't do," the puppet replied impassively, staring down at him. "What is inside you belongs to me now. You _are mine_."

Naruto grit his teeth and slowly pushed himself to stand. His knees wobbled and specks of white blotted his vision momentarily. Ugh.

"Screw you." He collapsed again. This time it took him even longer to get up, his ribs throbbing. But he did it. "And as soon as I get back home you can bet I'll be back to tear you guys to shreds! Believe me on that. There will be justice for what you've done!"

Crap. He grimaced. He couldn't let himself think of his sensei and everyone else yet. He couldn't afford to mourn. Only escape.

"Justice?" Pain scoffed. "I believe we have already had that discussion."

"Not my side."

And then he grabbing onto the shelf behind him, pushing with all his might to cause it fall on them. The world seemed to rumble and shake as it began its heavy descent and he instinctively rushed toward one of the open sections between the wooden boards, and squeezing through it he began to climb free and run over the fallen shelf, not caring to look back. He refused to, even when he'd heard Pain's protective jutsu activate only a few seconds before.

Running for life, past the door, through the hall and into the foyer, not looking back.

_Hafta leave! Hafta leave! _This was the only thought as he raced on, not caring of the voices behind him. Not caring how easily they could overtake him and punish him for running away—because that just worked _so_ great for him the last time!

He had no doubt he would be stopped before reaching the boulder, but he ran just the same. He just kept his eyes dead ahead, freedom his only thought. His goal. It was all or nothing!

He could see the boulder, it was open!

_Shoji Screen doors covered with fresh crimson liquid… burning…_

Suddenly, a flash of black, red and orange—Madara! He ran through, not focusing on that split second amused sneer.

Madara could have easily grabbed him. But he hadn't...

_Crimson liquid burning across the paper in streaks and splatters..._

The dimming world outside screamed at him to keep going, he was almost there, he was on his way home! when all of a sudden there was a blur, and he ran straight into it. No, a person, with a thud.

_Shadows dancing in the panels only to fall…_

So this was why Madara had made no move. No matter, his mistake!

"Get outta my way!" Naruto began screaming, futility beating at the figure blocking his way, when all of a sudden he was overwhelmed by a freezing feeling of familiarity, of a set of dangerous red eyes boring into him, enough that it made him want to retch.

_Leaving a lone figure..._

A pale hand snatched his wrists. A cruel but familiar voice hissed.

_A lone figure and the sound of a little boy's scream_.

He knew who that boy was.

But not no more.

"Stop. _Idiot_."

The exit slammed shut.

_-xXx-_

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

:D Yay!

To be continued in: TURN 4 A Blood Red Dawn _(Previously _"_Two Choices" and "A Dogfight of Birds"__) _

_Sasuke. Tobi, and Pain. How much worse can things get? A _**lot **_worse, but that only means things have to get better from now on, right?_

_Hm, kind of._

_Meanwhile things in Konoha, with Danzo, begin moving and Team 7, what's left of it anyway, come together one last time..._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

**A Game of Shogi** _**is officially done, and I feel so free! Free to improve on it, and most importantly, free to wage war. Thank you so much for reading this remastered version! Please feel free to join **_**To Start a War** _**for everything this, and the original, offers but much better, and much**_ **more**_**. When I actually get to it. LOL.**_

_**Also I would really love constructive criticism and reviews and recommendations, heck even a beta to volunteer for this train wreck of a fanfic! But mostly good ol' reviews. They are what help and encourage me to write, and to write **_**better**_**. **_

_**And I want to apologize for the time this chapter took. This Turn was particularly difficult in its essence to write. I worked at things I'm not very good with. And not only that, the core of it I had to write with a lot of the original chapter and its criticisms in mind. Yes, the problems people had with Lee winning against Konan I tweaked with until it felt right and I'm hoping it will be better received this time.**_

_**Lastly, notice: Hardcore changes and diverges from original story truly began here, in the third chapter. Third time's the charm, right? Anyway, w**__**e're still in the introduction chapters and they **_**should end** _**next Turn. So, after the next booger, there will be more plot and less "Hiya so-and-so!". **_


	4. A Blood Red Dawn

_This chapter is...long, grim and full of dialogue. BUT I leave off on a slightly fun note. Suigetsu. Man, gotta love him._

_Anyway, this chapter (combining and fixing so many other old ones) is necessary to move to the next phase, the Taka and Naruto one. Meaning, this is the end of Naruto's horrible, terrible, bad day. He'll have more, but not as alone. Also this chapter shows a lot of Tobi, which I did because the second capture that was in original version of story will NOT be in this one as it was. Also, this is missing a lot of Pain scenes, they will be used later._

* * *

**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

There was only one thing between Naruto and freedom. A mere person, so naturally the next choice of action came instinctively.

"Get outta my way!" Naruto screamed, rushing forward. He had to leave! This was his lone dictating thought when all of a sudden he was overwhelmed by a freezing feeling of familiarity, of a set of dangerous red eyes boring into him, enough that it made him want to retch. And he almost did, as a left hand **\- **_who did he know that was left-handed again?-_ snatched his wrist. A cruel but familiar voice hissed. "Stop. _Idiot_."

_That voice..._

"S-Sasuke?" he whispered, voice broken.

_No. No, no, no. NO!_

He took a step back, trying to disprove what he was sure was just his misunderstanding and figment of imagination. Being in the state he was in, seeing things seemed plausible.

The hallucination dressed a lot like Sasuke, his shirt resembled the Sasuke of old while the pants still were of his Orochimaru days. The hair, this was most concerning, what once was parted now covered the hallucination's forehead, giving him a dangerous and edgy look. And his eyes, that intense gaze, that fierce firm line of his mouth...

No. There was no mistaking it. They could only belong to Sasuke.

_Sasuke!_

As Naruto took this in, the exit slammed shut behind them. _Them_, there were people behind Sasuke, but they were just a blur as Naruto focused solely on Sasuke.

And the boulder falling back into place wasn't what hurt him the most. It was the fact that Sasuke was _inside_ the Akatsuki's hideout, actually _following _the masked-man! There was no rope and no other indication that he was here against his will like Naruto was. And no indication he was there in order to attack the evil organization.

Sasuke was with the Akatsuki, just like Madara had said. But...

_The times when Itachi killed his parents, his entire clan, tortured him, broke his wrist, threw him in Tsukuyomi, taunted him on, belittled him. All the oaths and the simple fact that Itachi's destruction had become his sole reason for living..._

_AND HE WAS _**WITH** _ITACHI'S OLD ORGANIZATION?!_

"Sasuke," he croaked again. "_What are you doing here_!?"

Some naive part of him kept telling himself this was an misunderstanding but deep down...he knew better. And it broke his heart in two. Did Konoha really not mean _anything_ to him anymore? Team 7? Had he really gone so low?

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he tried shoving Naruto off to the side.  
"Oh heck no!" he screamed, getting in Sasuke's way agatin. "You're not going to just push me away and ignore me-I want an answer!"

Sasuke's back was turned to him. "Madara, do something about him, will you?"

"ANSWER ME SASUKE!"

The foyer was dead silent. No one moved. But man was there a anticipating sneer glimmering in Madara's eye.

Finally Sasuke turned to him, his expression merciless. Naruto's insides reeled but he stood his ground. "Why are you here?" he repeated, very slowly, giving Sasuke one last chance, one last benefit of a doubt.

"You know why."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. He whispered, leaning close to him so not to be heard by anyone else. "You're really undercover? You're just _using_ them, right?"

That had to be it. It was the only thing that made sense. After killing Itachi, he must have decided to play the Akatsuki for what they did with him. Naruto always did think he would be good for double-crossing missions. He'd proved that with Orochimaru. _See, he's good. There's a grand plan to this, there has to be._

Sasuke smirked evilly. "No," he said in a louder tone, obviously not caring if he was heard by the others. "They have the resources I need...to destroy Konoha. Satisfied now?"

The punch landed directly in the Uchiha's face.

He staggered back for a second before just as quickly recovering.

Hot liquid dripped down Naruto's fingers but he didn't even notice. Just stood there, holding his trembling arm. "What is _wrong_ with you?! Are you screwing with me? You know how stupid that just sounded!? Konoha was just demolished and you pick _now_ to try to get a sense of humor? Totally uncalled for, you jerk! You don't joke like that!"

Sasuke wiped the blood from his lips. "I don't play games like you do."

So. He was utterly serious. Naruto was so angry he was shaking. But Sasuke just stood there, expressionless, even with his skin reddening. The punch had been packed with years of strife over his lost teammate, enough that if it had been anyone else to receive it they would have doubled over from the impact but Sasuke was too good for that. It was like he didn't even feel it. Only backed from the force. Did the scumbag not feel ANYTHING? Why had he become so heartless and…

Anger was absolutely boiling inside Naruto, almost possessively. He could feel it lapping at him just like it had on the bridge with Orochimaru, except this time, it wasn't laced with tendrils of the Kyuubi's chakra. Just pure raw anger. And a lot of it.

"Kakashi-sensei is dead now because of them! The village is gone and the woman who once healed you after that episode in Shukuba Town is possibly lying on her deathbed as well. I mean she could _die_ after over-exerting her chakra from trying to protect everyone from Pain's attack. Sakura is going to be spent trying to heal as many as she can and you _know_ she'll do it to the point of exhaustion as well, 'cuz that's what comrades do, Sasuke! I'm trapped here and you really, really, really don't care? And what about _before_ all of this? He HELPED the massacre, do you freaking know that!?" He pointed angrily at Madara. "HE KILLED THE UCHIHA TOO! And yet Konoha ain't good enough!? _We_, your freaking _team_, aren't?!"

"..."

Voice thick in angered despair, he spoke. "So that's it. You're just a bad guy now." He spat, words just coming out on their own, raging through his entire being. "Boy. your brother would be so freaking proud. You satisfied you _killed_ him, you jerk? Cause maybe he should have killed you a long time ago. Maybe that was his biggest mistake. His mistake was missing you."

The room was deathly quiet now. Some of the stranger's jaws dropped. And for good reason, because apparently Sasuke only had one trigger, and even though he had spoken in anger, Naruto had just triggered it.

With a vicious backhand Sasuke shouted, "Don't you ever speak of Itachi!"

From behind him, one of the strangers gave an amused whistled. "He done it now. Catfight!"

Face red, Naruto was already rushing forward and both became tangled in the other through swinging limbs and flicks of blood. Driven by pure fury and vent, they brutally punched and kicked at each other.

Somehow in the chaos and through the slugs, Naruto caught the sounds of a girl screaming. "Stop it!" and a bout of maniacal laughing, booming through the entire cave like a madman's howl. It wasn't long before Pain and Madara tried getting between them.

Naruto heard Pain's rod being pulled out before he felt it drove into his leg. And before he knew he would be crippled by his metallic weapon's strange power, he got one last slug in to that selfish, stuck-up, stupid face.

_Wam!_

They were both forcibly pulled apart, bleeding from the noses. Naruto in worse shape than Sasuke. But still, he fought back, even as his leg went numb. "Let me go! I'm not finished with him yet!" Pain's arms were firm though, as he wrenched him back.

Madara had latched onto Sasuke's bicep, also trying to pull the angry teen back. "That's enough Sasuke."

"Stop, Naruto."

Naruto squirmed "No! Let me finish this!"

Then Naruto's eyes were caught by Sasuke's spinning tomoe, like a magnet. Getting sucked into the intense gaze that wanted to kill him. He could feel Sasuke's merciless killing intent towards him all the way to his gut. How much recent events had changed him! Naruto had no doubt that Sasuke was a different person now. And it hurt worse than all his pains put together, as if it was ripping his chest apart.

"Sasuke!"

His chest...His throat. In fact, something _was_ ripping through it. So much that he collapsed completely in Pain's locked arms, coughing violently. Doubling. Was he choking? No, this wasn't that. It was like he was going to hurl but what was coming up had to be solid and it brought tears to his eyes, blurring his vision further.

It was enough to stop Sasuke in shock. Pain jerked Naruto to the side, allowing him to position so he was hunched over on his hands and knees. "Get it out, Naruto."

And he did, although not by his doing. It came on its own, tearing up through him until it was forcing his jaw open, tasted awful, and...

_Caw._

In the stillness, all eyes were now upon the new black, feathered guest. At first Naruto was too confused. Hadn't even been able to make out what it was through his teary eyes. He could only see a blur.

A blur...just a dark smudge and a glimmer of red….

A crow.

But what was a crow doing inside him? Who would have...

_Oh_, he remembered now.

Sasuke voiced it first though. "That bird is _Itachi's_."

Now everyone was staring at Naruto in varying degrees of curiosity or shock.

"Itachi evidently approached you at some point in time," Madara uttered slowly, releasing Sasuke's arm as he now stood still, eyes black.

"Why?" Sasuke barked. "How did you get that?"

Wiping his face, Naruto whispered, "Doesn't matter." Wobbly he got to his feet. "It...None of it matters."

More questions from a lot of them arose at once, giving him a headache.

_Why? What purpose? When?_

The crow screeched, then that loud evil-sounding cackling of a lunatic again and further outbursts from the group of strangers seemingly trying to surround the screamer and in that second Naruto realized there was nothing he could do but use this moment as a distraction and run for it. There was literally nothing else.

So hastily, he pulled the rod from his leg, and thrusted it at Pain. Whether he was pushed away by Pain's hands or his protective jutsu after that, Naruto didn't know, just tried to use its momentum and distance to roll away and up, then dash off before anything else could be done. And he ran, his leg near numb, his throat raw, and every breath painful.

The howl continued. "_Ha ha ha! Kill, something to kill! Ha! I'll kill everything!"_

A young man's voice. "Come on already, ya freak!"

A girl's voice. "Sasuke, help!"

His head pounded at every sound, every footfall, every breath. Naruto didn't make if far, or course. But this time, Kisame's turn. He was toppled completely. Grounded. And after he made a not-too-wise retort to the Akatsuki member, things got uglier.

An awkward minute of this. Clearly overkill but necessary.

Sasuke sighed as he let his Sharingan deactivate, their calming power no longer needed for the madness that had just exploded.

Seemingly oblivious to all of it or not caring whatsoever, Madara bent down to pick the crow up, fingers caging it. "I understand your frustration about not knowing how this came to be, Sasuke, but don't worry. I also desire to know and _will_ find out why and what purpose Itachi met him for. Alright?"

"Do."

"At this point, it shouldn't take too much...persuasion."

There was a multiple cracks and a cry. Madara turned to walk away, the bird in his hands screeching.

"Sasuke..."

Sasuke sighed again, and even in his anger, already knew of his teammate's distress over what was happening. His personality had already shifted back to his too-kind normal. His hand latched onto his the member's arm. "Do not interfere, you hear me. Go on to your room."

The child's form swallowed. "But he's..."

His Sharingan flashed and he enunciated his words slowly. "He's of no concern to you."

"Yes, Sasuke."

The rest of his team followed suite towards the East Wing, or rather started to. Madara gave a quick command for his medic to remain. "His lungs will need repaired from possible puncture."

She started but Sasuke held up his hand. "Just do it...Fix only his lungs."

_Don't waste your energy on him. His wake-up call is long overdue._

Before disappearing through the dark corridor with the rest of his members, Sasuke stopped mid-step, turning his face back. His and Madara's eyes met. There were no words exchanged, but they both knew they needed to have a talk. Sasuke nodded his consent.

Kisame slung the now unconscious Jinchuuriki over his shoulder, and followed Madara, disappearing along with his medic.

But still, the sight of Itachi's crow, struggling and shrieking in Madara's black-gloved hands, wouldn't leave Sasuke and made something in his gut twist. Whatever Itachi had wanted with it...Well, it was over.

Of that he was sure.

_-xXx-_

**TURN 4: A Blood Red Dawn**

OR

_**A Dogfight of Birds + Seven Devils All Around You **_

_-xXx-_

He found himself back in the tiny room again, this time stripped from the waist up and gritting his teeth as "Sasuke's medic" poked her fingers at him. Examining him for anything that could be fatal. "Ignore the rest," Madara had said after having his own turn at studying him and the Kyuubi's seal. Just double checking that Naruto hadn't managed to weaken it further he could only guess. When it was the medic's turn, Madara kept his hands clenched on Naruto's shoulders, locking him in spot as she looked him over.

Naruto sensed an uneasiness between the two. She obviously didn't want to be here, and when Naruto, obviously not wanting to be here either, asked as nicely as he could if she would ease the pain in his dislocated shoulder she barked a "no" at him immediately. Same for the most recent wound on his leg. Whereas all his other wounds had dried by now, it was bleeding profusely and throbbing.

He did not know this girl's name, Madara never mentioned it and probably wouldn't even bother. In any case, "Sasuke's Medic" or Four-Eyes as he preferred to think of her, did not come off to him as a medic. She smelled heavily of perfume, and her lips were shiny with gloss. For being a medic, she was rough in her movements. Her nails were particularly painful as she prodded at him. She must get pedicures done regularly, he thought, or whatever it was that girls did to their fingernails.

He didn't know too many shinobi, medics or not, that put so much effort in keeping up such a superficial appearance. Sure a little, like with Ino or Sakura who is usually frantic about her hair care stuff, and all the bottles she has to use in one washing, even on missions when there was no one to impress, but not to this degree. Not to mention there was nothing even on her indicating she was a shinobi, save for her how her thin body had sturdy muscles, trademark of kunoichi, and she wore traditional ninja sandals. The rest of her attire resembled nothing of any of the shinobi styles found in different villages. Heck, no sign that she was even certified as a medic, and he wagered she wasn't.

The only thing he knew for sure about her was that for whatever reason she did not like him. At _all_. As if he had personally done something to _offend_ her.

_Maybe it's just because she's a redhead..._

Forcing his mouth open, she studied it, fingers hard on his cheeks and jaw bone. Her glasses gleamed over him, and he could see his mouth in the reflection. Dark red lingered between his teeth, and his lips, forming rivulets of blood. To be frank, it grossed him out a little. He could taste and smell it too, which didn't add any pleasantness to the experience.

He was in bad shape. Outside, and inside and they obviously weren't going to let him heal all the way.

"Take a deep breath," she instructed harshly.

Naruto obeyed and instantly regretted it. How could such a basic function hurt so much? He hissed when her fingers pressed on the different points of his ribs, then starting back when they touched the center area. "Augh!"

"Middle ribs," she said. "The others are cracked but the middle being broke like it is..."

"He's not allowed to die until we have sealed the Hachibi." The masked man's tone was harsh and ice cold. "Fix it."

She hesitated. "My healing abilities work...orally."

Naruto blinked a couple of times.

Again: "_Fix it._"

She sighed in frustration but dared not make the man mad. Naruto watched as he pulled her sleeve up. What was she-

"Bite."

"Huh?"

"My chakra can heal you," she explained, voice impatient, "but you have to consume it, now bite!"

"I'm not going to do that! You nuts?!"

"It's just a medical ninjutsu! Are you really so immature-!"

"I don't care if it's just a jutsu! That's-!" His voice faded out as he began to notice the scars. Her arm was covered with them. All in the shape of bite-marks. He couldn't stop staring at them. Who was she? And most importantly, who could have inflicted so many scars on her? Each one had to have hurt.

He should haven't of focused on that because Madara lost his patience and began reaching for his head.

"No!" he gasped, trying to jerk back, only to end up further in his grip.

The man's fingers clenched on to his jaw so forcefully Naruto thought it would break. His hand shoved Naruto's chin up while the other slammed the top of his head down, forcing Naruto's teeth to rip through her skin. She hissed in pain and he was absolutely horrified as the taste of skin and blood filled his mouth, mixing with his own tainted saliva.

But.

For one fraction of a second, he could feel a rush of life inside it, unlike any other and he craved it in that moment, to feel _normal_ again, to be healed! and it crashed through him. The healing power rushed to his rib-cage, miraculously pulling them from his lungs, easing the pain there, allowing him to breathe without it, and he could feel himself relish in that delight...Until he was reminded the arm in his mouth. And he _loathed _himself for it.

When it was done, and he his ribs healed, she pulled back, her arm bleeding. She rushed out before he could apologize. And he honestly did. He didn't even know her name yet they had...

His face reddened at the thought of leaving a new scar on that girl, both in guilt and anger.

By then, Madara had finally backed away and was facing him.

Just seeing that mask in front of him really ticked him off, his uncaring demeanor, and Naruto screamed, "Why would you do that to her!? I would have rather endured some lung damage than-"

"It was necessary," he replied coolly. "As I said before, you are not allowed to die. If you find it so grievous you will not allow yourself to be fatally harmed again."

Naruto scoffed as he began slipping his shirt back on, trying his best to ignore the state it was in. The first thing he'd do when he left this place would be to jump in a hot spring, clothes and all. "It was Kisame's doing but yet you guys accuse _me _of puncturing my lungs? It's not exactly pleasant!"

Madara sighed boredly and began pulling out a short chain. "Had you been obedient, and not tried to fight Kisame, it wouldn't have happened. When I left, I'm sure it was implied that you were to stay in here for the time being." He locked one end of it to a round loop poking out along wall. On the other end of the chain, Naruto spotted a cuff of a shackle. _Great_.

"You ran, thus you ended up getting hurt. And as for the girl? That jutsu takes two to work." The man's eye narrowed accusingly. "You willingly _took_ from her."

At that implication alone, Naruto twitched. "Screw you!" He promptly stood, getting in the man's face. Or mask rather, pointing a finger at it. Anger flaring inside him, greater than any fear the man could ever wish to evoke. "Don't put any of this on me! It's your fault! All of it!"

Naruto's swipe went through air, and falling from the momentum, Madara caught him from behind. Pushing him, he grabbed his bad arm, forcing Naruto to freeze up, his shoulder flaring with pain. Arm arresting him still, he used the other to lock the iron around an ankle. Locking him close to the wall, approximately two feet of distance.

"You're emotions are too easy, Naruto. And you're sloppy. I suggest getting some rest before you attempt to attack me again, Naruto. But then again..." He grasped Naruto's middle and forefinger. "There won't be another time." He promptly snapped the fingers.

"Ugh!"

"Furthermore, had you not ran, you would have been relatively left alone. We have no need of you personally, just the Kyuubi. You're just holding it for us until we are ready to seal it. Everything that will come on side will only be brought on either by your actions or those of you village, not simply for our enjoyment."

"Could have fooled me," he snarled, picking himself back up, holding his damaged fingers. Wrapping them in some torn fabric, as if that would help, he straightened his back.

"The few members who had no true reasons for being a part of our group besides their strength, the sadists, were taken out by your village because they were weak in will. But the rest of us aren't. Nothing is done by us without purpose, and that purpose is peace."

His body shook in its anger, he spoke, teeth gritted, almost laughing. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to manipulate me...Just like you must have done with Sasuke." He glared at him, eyes lit with defiance as he tried jerking his foot free. "But it's not going to work. And whatever you did to him, I'll reverse it."

The man sneered. "You think us to be monsters Naruto. And that's where you are wrong. We are not monsters lurking under the bed, spiriting the weak away. He is here of his own free will. And you? The Fourth sealed your fate. That is the _only_ reason you are here."

"_**Madara."**_

Zetsu had entered in, a rather huge basin of water in his hands. Madara seemed un-impressionable as ever as he took it from him. Seeing him set it down in front of him, Naruto sighed. There could only be one purpose for it and at least two scenarios it could take. Three if electricity would come into play.

"Now then, since you _are _here, we might as well get some information."

Naruto turned his head, fingers tightening their hold against the chain. He yanked on it harder.

He couldn't even begin to express in words how much he didn't want this.

"Give me a fair fight," he said.

"You already had it. And you lost. Now then, that seal on your back took enough chakra that I'm going to have to resort to this the old fashioned way. You're going to talk to me about that crow of yours."

"It's not your business," he spat. "The one is pertains to can grow a pair and ask me himself."

Madara chuckled. "You're not worth his time of day, as you so clearly saw earlier."

Naruto scoffed and glared. Right in the eye. Madara gave in inward sigh. Even hurt, he still had a lot of fight in him and that kind of spirit would repel any results from the following interrogation. But, if his spirit was strong, he only had to weaken it prior.

Naruto mocked rebelliously. "And even if I can't escape, my village will find me!" He gave a hard tug on the chain. No give. It only flared his anger more. "And boy I can't wait to see you get it!"

The man laughed hard, startling Naruto. "Your village isn't going to find you. In fact, even if they were close by they wouldn't even know you're here." He rewarded Naruto's puzzled expression with an answer. "Not only is this place protected by seals meant to cloak us, but the seal on your back prevents an outside party sensing and feeling the Kyuubi's and your chakra. You really are just a normal human being now. True that means we can't keep constant tabs on your whereabouts with it on as well, but that won't matter. Where Jutsu ends, science begins."

_Science? Does he have a tracker in me?_

The man leaned forward, drawing close to the boy's fiery glare. "Besides, the only connection your village has to our location is Pain's residing. And the last time someone tried infiltrating it...What happened to that ninja again?"

Naruto winced like he had been stabbed.

"And you want more to follow his tracks?"

"Shut up!"

"Anyone who chases after us will share his fate."

Angrily, he pushed forward to slug the man once again. Madara stepped to the side the last second, so his fist landed against his bicep weakly. "You really need to rest, don't you? So much has happened in just a single day. Death of the family, and the breaking of your body. How much blood do you think you've lost? Are you getting dizzy?"

"I said shut up!"

"Not only are you at our entire mercy, Naruto but...You. Are. _Alone_." For emphasis he tossed down the book he had found on Naruto's person earlier. It was a book he was familiar with it. Garbage on garbage, one filled with their dogma that would fade into obliteration or succumb to the inevitable truths of reality.

"I'm sure this will keep you entertained while you wait once I'm done here. That's all it's worth. Just entertainment in all its drivel. Look at yourself now and tell me there's meaning in the ways of your old sensei."

Naruto's face was pointed down, inconsolable as kept his gaze to the floor and picked his old sensei's book up. To him, it was an item of reverence.

And now, he could only pocket it, barely glancing at the cover.

"You're wrong," he whispered.

Pain, of course, had underestimated how fast Madara was able to recover chakra. What was important, was that Naruto didn't know. Didn't know that low level Genjutsu was already in his grasp again. Didn't even realize it when it happened as he cupped his chin and tilted it up towards him.

"Konoha will not come for you. It's over."

Naruto wouldn't even realize that the long span of time that was to pass was actually a Genjutsu. Nothing would change, not the room, or his state. Just a few seconds of real time, many long days in pain filled solitude.

_Solitude_.

And Naruto's shoulders drooped fast, his face shell-shocked.

On that, the masked man gave him a few moments to contemplate his village _now_. No matter how loyal or innocent, or how many tactics he had to use to crack him, slowly, but surely, Naruto _would _either have to adapt and become malleable...

Or Naruto would be broken and rebuilt.

Just as he once had been.

"See Naruto? When it comes to it, Konoha is just talk."

A tear slid down his face, his previous fiery defiance shriveled to death. It was just temporary, the man knew. But still. It was a start.

"But with the Bijuu, the Akatsuki will repair everything. Understand? The end justifies the means. That is why we're doing this to you. The future will be better for it. We will reach true peace, even if it's through a blood red dawn."

"No...Massacre is never justified..."

"Naruto, when did Itachi approach you?"

He blinked, shaking his head weakly.

"I'm not asking you to betray your village, Naruto." Not yet anyway. "There's no moral reason to not tell me. Sasuke has a right to know."

Grimacing, he shook his head again. "I won't. It's really not important, but it would still be me giving you what you want and I was trained better than that."

Madara grasped his hair cruelly, wrenching him closer to the huge container of water that had been set out.

"You're the one making this difficult. Understand? This is your doing. And it isn't going to stop until you give up. I'm going to give you one last chance, one last mercy, before I get forceful and it doesn't have to be this way. When did Itachi approach you?"

Naruto laughed, the sound of desolation. "Go ahead and go through the trouble."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

When the Akatsuki woman had been transported to the prison it was a little after dusk. Everything from the day was winding down and cooling. It would be a dark, cold night, the electricity still out, but surely there would be good news to follow from the retrieval squad. Hinata had watched eagerly from afar, expecting to see Naruto following close behind, a triumphal reassuring smile on his lips.

But he wasn't there. And he never came. The longer she waited, the more she felt like crying. Terrible scenarios filled her mind, unabating.

There were many people who didn't even know he'd been captured. Just speculations. Only those who'd been more attuned with the battle knew. If she hadn't had her Byakugan activated, she would have missed it happening. But regardless the rumors, she knew the truth. He was gone.

And still was.

Neji's slow approach to her with a saddened expression on his face confirmed her fears. She could only fight back a sob as he broke the news of the retrieval squad's failure.

What did Konoha's first successful live capture of an Akatsuki member matter when he was gone? He should have been the one reining them in.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Neji told her before giving her space.

The Hyuuga Heiress wasn't the only cry that grim evening.

It was soon after sunset that Sakura had stumbled onto Kakashi.

Smoke was still rising in the air. The smell of death was strong and at that point after the attack Sakura had spent her chakra healing the survivors. Walking, and looking for more regardless her state, she found him rather quickly. His silver hair blew softly in the wind, light against his death pale face. His eyes closed.  
It was rare she ever saw him rendered unconscious. Worried, she raced towards him.  
"Kakashi-sensei!" she exclaimed. "I've been looking for you every where! Come on, get up now."

She gently shook his shoulder, noticing how stiff and cold it seemed.

"Oh no," she whispered, fingers racing for his throat. _He's too cold._

No pulse. Fear beginning to rise, she pushed his shoulder harder this time. "Hey, wake up."

No response. No. Her sensei couldn't be…

"Wake up!" she screamed, her fingers already flickering with green chakra. "No more of your jokes. We have to go get Naruto—you, me, and Sai! Get up!"

Her attempts to force her practically-gone chakra to flicker back to life became desperate. All it did was splutter weakly before dying out.

Still, she didn't give up. This was her sensei, darn it! She had to heal him!

"Please," she cried, pushing her chakra with every fiber of her body and will. "Please get up!"  
Voices rushed towards her as her task to heal him possessed her.

"Sakura!" Sai. He'd just arrived back with Yamato and Anko's team. Danzo had summoned them back, deeming the Kyuubi's capture more important than Kabuto's location.

"Sakura! It's too late!"

"Back away, okay!" Yamato grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back, or trying to. Her monstrous strength on top of her grief just about made it impossible. Sai's face flashed with concern as he too, tried prying her from the dead man. His pale fingers grasped her arm, trying to wrench it away from the dead man. "Sakura! Back off! Your chakra is way too low to be doing this!"

It was like she didn't even know what was going on outside her and her task. Yamato fought back a wave of emotions seeing her like this, but braced himself to tell her the cold hard truth of the matter. Denying it wasn't going to help anyone and at this rate she'd kill herself trying to revive him with her exhausted chakra supply.

"Sakura, he's _dead_!" he yelled. "You can't bring him back!"

With the last pull, he wrenched her free, and she collapsed into him, the confirmation of the horror that was Kakashi being dead stripping her of her strength. She wailed into his flak jacket, trembling terribly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, unable to do anything other than fight his own emotions from seeing his old friend dead like this.

All the times he spoke with a carefree attitude. His lazy attitude and rather inappropriate reading material. But he always had his comrade's back. Always.

And now he was gone for it.  
"Why? Why today? Why is everyone gone?" Her body shook hard against him and the substitute captain grit his teeth, unable to comfort her, a kunoichi born in a generation free from war. She now knew its cruelty. "Why?! Gwah! It's not fair! My team never deserved this!"

She sobbed again for her doomed and missing team members. She was now the last of the original four, and that hurt her the worst.

"It never is, Sakura," he whispered softly.  
Sasuke, Naruto, and now Kakashi.

He held her until she stopped crying.

When she was done, Sai took her hand. "Come on," he said gently. Trying his best to be kind.

He led her to Ino's place. One of the few housing editions that had survived. Sakura's friend took her in without a word. Sai not knowing what else to do in this type of situation turned to leave but the blonde grabbed his shoulder.

"Please stay..."

His apartment had been destroyed so he did.

It was the last time he would spend with Sakura and her friends as a member of Team 7.

The following morning, he left while the girls were still asleep and he was initiated back as a full time Root member. But he was not the same person he had been before being a part of Team Kakashi.

His short time with them had changed him. The first attack on Konoha, from when the Kyuubi nearly demolished it, had left him an orphan. How ironic the orphan carrying that same beast had affected him. And it was nothing like Danzo had preached to him about.

_Comrades, huh?_

Being a Root member would never be the same again.

The Akatsuki wasn't the only threat anymore, and he mentally swore to Sakura he would do his best to protect Naruto from Danzo's ways. He never wanted Naruto to end up like once was, or worse.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"If Sasuke is going to a threat, I don't want your subordinate around Naruto. Keep your control of him." Nagato's weary voice was seemingly robotic in tone, as it was low and for the most part expressionless, but it hinted at a clear under layer of disapproval. The Sharingan had nearly jeopardized their objective. Why, then, would he not deem it appropriate to find fault with the Uchiha?

Even after a good number of hours later. The dawn in fact.

They both knew Sasuke's Sharingan could do more than just cast Genjutsu now. He could kill just by looking at someone with his new Amaterasu. So the real question was, _What if he had done it?_

In this game they were two major players, and as long as they had the same goal in mind there was no danger of a much was at stake to allow their partnership to break apart. Yet. They had both come too far.

"In fact, it seemed as if you wanted that happen," Nagato accused. "You wanted to parade Sasuke in front of him and it wasn't until the last second that you restrained him."

The masked man chuckled in response. "Yes, I _wanted _him to react."

The man raised his brow, and he almost leaned forward in his contraption. The masked man was the only one permitted to see his true form, outside Konan. "Surely you knew it could turn out bad. It's bad enough we have to _keep_ him, seeing as how the Taka screwed up with the Hachibi."

"Yes and that will be remedied, but as for the intentional outburst...It is said there are five stages of grief. What we just witnessed was a clear case of denial and anger. In order for the following days containing him to be less troublesome, I needed him to vent his rage and move on to grief. A depressed man is much more malleable than a raging one."

Nagato countered. "He is anything but _malleable_."

"Yes, but time and the right kind of persuasion will soften him. Or at the very least make this easier."

The man flicked his mauve eyes towards the crow in its cage. "And what if the crow had not appeared? What if Itachi's younger brother had had time to use his Amaterasu? We'd be having an entirely different conversation, I assure you."

Was that a _threat_? No, of course not. Madara was the master here and Pain was his pawn.

Cocking his head and narrowing his eyes into a grin, the masked man said assuredly, "I still would have stopped Sasuke in time. The Kyuubi is far too important to me to have allowed any _real _danger. As for Naruto's little pet, after not getting any real answers from him-"

"What do you mean? I thought you said you had it taken care of?"

"I did. But interrogation isn't going to be truly fruitful when he himself is unsure of the purpose of that bird. Itachi just randomly approached him and talked about his brother. When he put the bird in him, he didn't specify its purpose or power. Just that it has something to do with Sasuke. Perhaps it was to safeguard it should Naruto ever be captured by me. But after my session with the boy, I did a small experiment in my lab earlier." He pulled out a vial from his pocket and almost instantly the bird screeched as if the eye was a hunter.

"It reacts to Itachi's eyes." He put the vial away and the shrieking stopped. "I believe Itachi gave the crow to Naruto should the day ever arise that Sasuke receive his brother's eyes and use them against him. It was meant to protect him from Sasuke essentially which is why it came out earlier. But...Whatever Genjutsu it has potential to cast, it will no doubt only work once Sasuke has crossed that line. Meaning, the bird is no threat for now."

Not to mention that eye residing inside the crow was valuable. The whole situation called for more look into it. Research and more experiments would naturally come in time. Sasuke was equally curious as well, if not more so. Seeing the last physical proof of his brother's existence come from his ex-teammate ...

"In the meanwhile, Sasuke's medic was able to heal the damage to his lungs."

Nagato nodded approvingly. "Still, what was Uchiha Itachi doing?"

Madara let the inquiry hang unanswered as even he did not have the answer to it. Itachi had played his part at the Akatsuki so where and when did he go astray by betraying them and his original goal to be the villain to the village, besides when he refused to kill his younger brother? He had met with the boy, obviously placed him under Genjutsu to get the crow inside him, yet did not capture him or at the very least inform the Akatsuki of his intentions. It raised the question if there were any other little seeds Itachi had foreseen to plant before his death and whether they could prove problematic.

He paused briefly.

"I will see to asking the host more once my chakra has recovered. The late morning. In the meanwhile, if you don't mind me asking, what are your plans? Will you return to your village now?"

Nagato never stayed here for long, if at all. His heart was still tied to the Rain as their dictator. He rarely stayed separated from it.

"No...The boy took out too many of my Pains. I will have to recover them here. I also would like to personally keep an eye on him."

"I see."

"And what do we _do _with him in the meanwhile?"

"Keep him away from Sasuke and his bipolar teammate. I will not have them put him in mortal danger."

"It won't take him long to leave that room again. I could place him in a coma but if it's prolonged for too long..."

"No," Nagato spoke "There is no need for that. He cannot escape this place anyway. You barred him from his chakra so it is impossible he move the boulder. So leave him be, but do place a barricade seal on the armory. I will not have him attacking our members again. Block off Hidan and Kakuzu's rooms as well."

Madara nodded. "Already done. And now that I think about it, where _is_ Konan?"

A grim look came over Nagato's Rinnegan eyes. "She was played the distraction so I could transport."

The masked man nodded sympathetically. "I see. Do you wish to take action against Konoha for her? I can have him tell me about the Intel division in the morning session as well-our files are getting outdated."

He paused for a long time. "It is best we stay underground for awhile. With the Kyuubi here and the Hachibi running around, the world is too stirred and aware of us. Send Kisame out for the black man only once we've heard word of his location from our sources. Understand?"

"Yes, and I agree."

Yahiko's body then emerged from the shadows. Nagato's favorite Pain and the one that was damaged the least from his fight with the Jinchuuriki. It spoke, "Now then, I'll inform the boy of his situation."

Tobi smirked as Pain took his leave. He knew he was just checking up on him. There was an odd connection between the two. Let Nagato think he was the top dog when it came to the Gedo and the last host. For now. In the end his "weapon" would still be Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi.  
In the meanwhile, he had another of Kakashi's team to speak with.

Kakashi.

Naruto's words from earlier lingered in his mind for a moment. _Kakashi-sensei is dead now because of them!_

So. The man of a thousand techniques had met his end...

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Plagued on so many levels, he sat, head buried in his knees. He'd cried some, but then a numbness had set in, and he was grateful for it.

He nearly jumped at the sound of the thick door opening. Apparently the Akatsuki had had their talk about what to do with him. _Pain._

"Naruto," the dead voice spoke, confirming it was the puppet. He didn't bother lifting his head. They both knew he was awake.

"It is unfortunate things have not gone as planned. I'm sure that you have figured out already that for the time being, you will remain with us."

Weakly, he whispered, "I'm not staying. I'm only here until I get my strength back."

"The Kyuubi belongs to the Akatsuki now...Naruto. And with your chakra sealed off, there is no way for you to leave on your own, and you will not."

"I took the majority of you Pains out earlier, I can do it again and finish the job this time. Maybe better with Konoha's help. I won't make the same mistakes again."

Though he spoke of fighting back, his voice did not reflect it. Madara and his injuries had taken their toll on him.

Pain took a step closer to him, closing the distance between them, his voice firm. "Should you try to escape, or they retrieve you, your village will receive the consequences for it. Do you understand?"

Naruto finally lifted his face from his knees to glare openingly at him. "That's a _cheap _trick."

"Perhaps, but as long as you are here, we have no need to make any further move against them. That is unless you decide you want to start this up all over again."

He shook his head, laughing darkly. "To resort to extortion for a kid without chakra. You _afraid_ that you'll lose me?"

Pain's eyes narrowed. "No. I just know you. We did share the same sensei after all."

"You are not his pupil. You're a disgrace to everything he stood for."

"That may be in your eyes, but the Kyuubi is far too important to risk. In any case, until the time when the Hachibi is caught and sealed, you must survive. Sasuke's medic will remain in charge of that, but you must take care of your basic needs. Understand? You _will _keep yourself alive."

He held out tin cup to him. Inside the cup was clear liquid. And it churned the thirst in his throat violently. He wanted to chug it down so bad. But.

_Madara's hand, holding out a towel to him..._

He smacked it away, letting Pain's offering spill and clatter to the floor.

"I will live," he croaked. "But it won't be for your benefit. In fact, it'll be this organization's downfall. And when all's said and done you'll wish you had just killed me."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Only a short time later, Sasuke met him in his private lab. Entering in, the teen crossed and arms and leaned against wall, staring at the caged bird which stared back at him just as intently. His anger at not knowing about it was practically radiating off him.

"So?"

_Where'd he come from?_

He was curt as ever.

"Itachi didn't spell it out for him," Madara answered, reaching for some scrolls along the shelf.

"It..It reacted to me."

So he had caught on. Madara set the scrolls down, and unrolled them.

"To guard him."

Sasuke said nothing.

The masked man scribbled a few notes down before turning to face Sasuke. He reached for the cage and handed the crow to him. It didn't screech like it had before but remained perched on the young Uchiha's finger, body tense, head turned.

"Pain wants to allow him to keep the bird," Madara said. "Is that alright with you?"

Sasuke lifted his hand, and it flew from it. Fluttering from the lab. Like its owner, it would not be leaving the Hideout. A small cage for a much bigger one.

"I don't care."

Finding out what he came to, Sasuke briskly turned to leave, but stopped after a moment as if he had forgotten something.

He spoke, his back to Madara. "How...how did you find my team?"

Madara chuckled. "Your destination was predictable Sasuke. That is all. And now that you're here, I ask you to not leave until the Hachibi is caught and sealed. The Akatsuki will need your team for that with us being low on members. After that, your are free to go after Danzo."

Sasuke stood still. He wasn't an idiot.

The masked man sensed he was displeased.

Eye narrowing, the masked man asked, almost tauntingly, "Is that a problem, Sasuke?"

His fingers twitched.

"No."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"She's too protected," Inoichi said, fingers rubbing his temple. It had been a loooooong night. Of course, it had been just as long of one for Ibiki, who was sitting in front of him. Neither had gotten a minute of sleep that night. Instead, they had spent it in the Intel Division where they still sat, elbows to the table with a mountain-tall pile of paperwork and empty coffee cans. Next to Inoichi were numerous bloody tissues from his bloody nose "Her mind is completely impossible to penetrate. At this rate, your methods are going to be the only way."

"Not that simple," Ibiki grumbled. "I suspect she's been through capture before. Nothing I did phased her. She's got to be the hardest kunoichi, no, ninja I've ever had to interrogate. No fear, no cares, high tolerance. And even psychological approaches haven't worked. She's completely impassive." He finished his can of coffee and tossed it. "It's times like these I miss the Uchiha Police Force."

Inoichi smiled grimly. "I never thought the day would come when you'd have been happy to let them do your job for you."

Not that the village's strict regulations would have allowed them to keep such a high class criminal.

Ibiki chuckled. "Cocky bunch...But you can't deny their eyes were effective. Utter control over even the most steeled minds. It took the art out of it but still got the results."

"But unfortunate," Inoichi commented with a sigh as he emptied ice into a pack for his head. "Poor kid...With the likes of Madara, well he'll strip the kid of _everything_."

"He's a strong boy...But yeah I imagine there isn't anything that can be done to prevent it. True he may love Konoha and have strong beliefs for someone his age, but that can't bar the Sharingan's power."

Inoichi glanced down. "I got a call from my wife earlier."

"That's who it was?"

"Yeah. His teammate, Sakura, was over at our place with Ino last night. Completely devastated. Kakashi..." He placed the pack on his forehead, closing his eyes. "He didn't make it yesterday."

Ibiki exhaled slowly, taking the news in. "That's a shame. I rather liked him. Interesting fellow and one of the best squad leaders...If Naruto can make it through this, he'll be even better."

"_If _Madara doesn't break him."

"That's why we must quickly change our procedures," Danzo said, suddenly behind them. They turned in surprise. "D-Danzo."

How had not either even sensed him?

The old man stepped forward from the shadows, his cane clicking against the ground. Features wrinkled with age yet sharp in the light. Bandages covered almost half of his face, obscuring one of his eyes but it did not take away from the intensity of his gaze. He was a man with much more work to do. Especially since the village's elders had put him in charge with Tsunade still out of commission.

"Starting from now, the Foundation, Roots, will be managing the Intel Division."  
Inoichi glanced at Ibiki in concern. This was his department. His reign.

"_Changes _will be made."

If Ibiki cared, he didn't show it. Just gave a "Yes, sir."

Danzo turned to Inoichi, expression one of chastisement. "Have you not yielded any results yet?"

Inoichi set the ice pack down. "Not yet. Her mind is extremely guarded...But I will, I assure you. I'll begin the session again as soon as I can again."

The old man's expression was stern. "Ibiki, you are to continue with the criminal until then. I don't care what you have to resort to. I'm lifting the ban on cruel and unusual methods. It's going to take just that to break her shell. Whatever device, whatever orifice, do what you must. But get it done quickly. We need results before the Kyuubi host's capture can be leaked further."

Now Ibiki had to be bothered. His approach was mostly psychological. Purely physical methods, or even ones of humiliation, resulted in fake confessions more than not. Not to mention, what Danzo was implying were lines Ibiki had never crossed. They were the sort the likes of Orochimaru dragged back from the dark ages and still used.

"I can still do it it," Inoichi urged. This was most likely Naruto's only hope and he didn't want the woman destroyed before they got the hideout's location.

"See you do." He turned to leave but then paused. "And the host's official status is to be classified. For those who had not witnessed it, he is in ICU and I'm claiming him to placed under Root's jurisdiction and surveillance under Marshal Law."

_Incarceration, _basically.

Inoichi glanced down uneasily. The road ahead of them filled with more twists and turns than he cared to think about.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Sensei!"

Panting, he jolted awake, covered with sticky sweat. His cry echoed off the cold walls before dying away in the near pitch.

Then, getting his bearings, curled up into himself, face buried in his hands. Wondering which was the nightmare, and what was real life. It all seemed like some utterly horrible dream he should just be able to blink away, but the pain told him it was real. Even the numbness evaded him. He'd never hurt so much before. Never missed the Kyuubi's healing properties, never even realized how he took it for advantage until now. But most importantly, he'd never felt so alone.

_I'm so sorry...So, so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have never left the village. I could have stopped him before...No, I can't let myself keep thinking of these things. Not here. Not yet. Have to escape..._

The locks were relentless and he still didn't have any strength. If anything, he was getting worse and worse. Everything was so confused. Words and events.

Then the dreaming. When he passed out, he'd always find himself back in Konoha, but then as if someone struck a match under it, it was on fire. There were some survivors, scattered about, but then they would melt into pools and splatters of blood and all around there were dead people with dark hair and eyes. Dead elders and children alike.

He couldn't tell the two massacres apart anymore. And no matter how hard he tried, he could never find Kakashi. He'd run and run, when he could at least, most dreams he was held down and even though he fought back, he could never escape the locked hold on him, and he never found Kakashi. His fate, how it happened, would always remain a grim mystery.

Just felt his loss as the biggest empty gap. Jiraiya had been hard enough. This was a whole new level. He couldn't stop the tears.

He'd wake up screaming Sakura's name sometimes But, he'd tell himself that she was still okay. He had that at least. And even though off and on, he felt like he'd been forgotten, he knew she wouldn't give up on him. Neither would Konoha.

Kiba, and his team, Hinata, and Shino. Would Konoha send them? Or Captain Yamato and Sai?

Thinking this, he lay sprawled out on the ground tiredly, waiting for something to happen.

He loathed the fact he was forced to wait on handouts. Handouts that likely wouldn't come until he was utterly weak from starvation to do anything.

_Kami, I need out of here._

He jumped to sitting position when the door opened, letting in a harsh crack of light and creaking sound. Wincing, he blinked, trying to figure out which Akatsuki jerk it was this time. Their shadow had spiky hair on top. Hmh, not Madara or Pain...But the silhouette was too small to be Kisame...

Their footsteps, quiet and...timid?

"Who?" he croaked. He quickly wiped his eyes.

The intruder, whoever he was, didn't answer, just hesitated in his steps. His head turned back as if he was self-conscious, as if he wasn't supposed to be here. After a moment of obvious mental debate he seemed to have come to a verdict because he stepped closer to Naruto.

By then his eyes had adjusted and the shadow was now a person. And not just a person. A _child_.

_Oh no! _

"Woah kid," he exclaimed, heart stopped. "You seriously don't need to be here! They kidnap you too? Oh, man. I'm so sorry! But don't worry! Big brother Naruto will figure something out!"

The child blinked in confusion, then shook his head. "I'm not a kid..."

Holy cow, his voice was deep like an adults! What was going on with this boy?

"You, uh, hit it young or something?" And halfway at that, he reflected, noting the boys face and stature. How did he sound like fully grown male when he couldn't be more than twelve? Naruto cocked his head at the confusing oddity before him. He wasn't exactly an expert with this stuff but still...Something funky was going on.

Now the kid was getting impatient. "I'm stuck this way from letting Sasuke absorb...Never mind, I'm a part of his team and an adult."

"Huh?"

"My name...is Juugo. I'm a part of the Taka. I...uh, brought something for you."

Naruto blinked. "You're a part of his Taka?"

_And he's not wearing the Akatsuki cloak..._

Actually seeing a person not wrapped in the bleak coat was refreshing.

The kid then kneeled down in front of him, actually getting at eye level to speak with him rather than standing and talking above him like his last two "guests" had.

Naruto blinked. He sensed nothing hostile from him or his aura but...

What purpose did this "Taka" guy serve being here then?

"Earlier...You looked pretty bad so, I brought you some food..." Juugo held something out to him. A can, and inside smelled of a soup.

It drove the starving Naruto nuts. But still, who was this kid? Soup seemed humane. The Akatsuki wasn't that nice.

"It's okay, take it," the child form urged, seeing Naruto's hesitancy.

Was it poisoned? No, they wouldn't kill him. Drugged to help suppress him? Probably. Then again, Madara had already done a number of eye tricks. This morning having been the most horrific event in his life, leading to the most most horrific information leak and guilt for it. But of course, it was past his control.

He shook his head. But then his stomach let out a loud, and pain-filled growl. He grimaced, blushing.

"It's alright, I promise. You need this and I don't think anyone else is going to drop food off for you. They're all just doing their own thing..."

Naruto looked at him warily, the pain in his stomach twisting at the smell. Finally his hunger got the better of him and he took the can and sipped it. It was mostly some broth, but that didn't matter. It was amazing. And boy, had he needed it. He finished it ravishly and sighed sorrowfully when it was all gone.

Juugo smiled grimly.

"Thanks man. I was starvin'." He bit his lip. "But. Um...Why? Why are you? Did they..."

Juugo sighed and maneuvered to where he was sitting next to him. "No one knows I'm in here. I just...I thought of how hungry you must be and I had to do something. You looked real bad and after seeing you yesterday I just couldn't..."

_Yesterday?_ "It's only been one night?!" he whispered in horror. Just one day?!

"Yeah..."

Naruto could not stop his features from showing his obvious shock and sadness.

Noticing it, Juugo made no move to get up and leave him. And when Naruto realized this, some part of him caved in to the overwhelmingness of everything. "Thank you...Juugo. I really appreciate the gesture. In all honesty, I...I can't...I can't do this." Why was he telling this stranger that? Regardless, the rest just flowed out on its own.

"I keep telling myself I just have to bide my time and things will work out in the end, you know, but...I can't stop thinking of _home_. They're a lot worse off than I am...The last time time there was a catastrophe of epic proportions, even worse than when Orochimaru attacked, was when the Kyuubi wrecked half the village and over _sixteen_ years later so many still _hurt _over it_. _I know because a number them take it out on _me._ But now?" He grimaced. "I can only imagine their pain. Everything was destroyed, so many died...And I feel like it's _my_ fault, but it's not. I know that, I never asked to be a Jinchuuriki. But none of this would be happening if it weren't for..."

_Madara's words...The Fourth..._

Juugo looked down, almost guiltily.

"And I'm afraid what will continue to happen and what they'll make me do. I mean they forced me to hurt that medic girl-"

"You mean Karin?" Juugo asked. Voice soft. "That's how her abilities work."

"Still doesn't make it right! And I never got the chance to apologize. Although I have a feeling she wouldn't accept it. She hated me before that for reasons I don't know. And anyway, by all indication, _it's over_, and I don't know what to do from here...My sensei..." He turned his head from Juugo, trying to hide his glossy eyes. "Geez, why am I venting to you about it? I need to shut up. Man, I'm sorry."

Juugo smiled softy. "It's okay. You needed to.." He didn't know how else to respond after that comment. So he tried to shift the subject. Slightly. "Although...Is it really true you were a part of Sasuke's team?"

Naruto nodded. "That's another thing. Something's _different_ about him...i mean..." Naruto rubbed his face. "We used to be best friends and now...I seriously can't believe him. You said you're part of the Taka, right, and Pain mentioned something earlier about this "Taka" being his team...What happened to him after Itachi?"

_And why couldn't he have let us be there for him? He should have come back home...But he didn't._

Juugo shook his head. "I'm not sure myself, but something changed in him that day." After a long pause, Juugo admitted, "Although, when you yelled at him, that was the most...emotionally responsive I've actually seen him in a while..."

Naruto lips curled and then he laughed. "Sounds right!"

Hearing the boy laugh, Juugo felt a pinch of relief wash through him.

But then Naruto winced, groaning.

"What is it?" Juugo quickly asked.

He shook his head. "It's fine."

Now that Juugo thought of it there was still a sheen of sweat on his face. He was trying to hide it but something was hurting him still and his body didn't like it.

"It's your shoulder," he concluded. "During your...fight with Sasuke I noticed how your arm just hung there..."

Naruto nodded. "Moving it even just a little hurts it really bad."

Figuring it was dislocated, Juugo stood. "At the very least, I can fix that."

Naruto looked at him, puzzled. "You can? Even though you're a k-I mean, you would do that for me? Why?"

No one else had helped him.

Juugo cast his eyes down, sighing deeply. "Because...you're _just a kid_. I used to hear stories of the Kyuubi, how it would destroy landscapes so easily, and I remember the Hachibi, he was a big man and his power was a force to reckon with. He almost killed all of us. But you? You're...To have to house such a monster. It's _hard_."

Naruto raised a brow. He had said it as if he knew what it was like but how could he? He wasn't a Jinchuuriki.

Juugo shook his head. "And the way you've been _treated_...I don't agree with it."

Naruto swallowed. "Then help me escape."

"I can't," he said dryly.

"Why?! Just give me something to pick the lock and move the boulder-no one has to know, Juugo. You're probably the only one who can or _will_ help me. _Please._"

"I'm sorry, kid." And he truly meant it. "But I can't jeopardize Sasuke's position here..."

Naruto glowered, his anger rising. "Then why are you here?! What about Sasuke is worth being with the _Akatsuki_ for?" There was chastisement in his voice and Juugo inwardly winced, but didn't answer.

"Man, why are you here...? Why are you a part of the Taka?"

Then Juugo mumbled, so quietly, Naruto barely heard him, "Because it's better that the monsters are caged. It's...for the best."

Naruto scoffed. "Are you bipolar or something?"

When Naruto looked at him, expecting an answer, the man ignored him. Merely said, "Here," and wrapped one small hand around Naruto's bicep, and the other on his other shoulder for support.

"This is going to hurt," he warned

Naruto's eyes were already squeezed tight, his teeth gritted. "Do it."

And somehow, between Juugo's initial jerk, a disgusting sound from within Naruto's bones, and his held-in scream, it was over and Naruto let out a breath of relief loudly, pulling back and feeling so much better.

Wow.

"Thank you. And...I'm sorry.."

Juugo shrugged it off. "It's okay...but I really need to leave now."

He seemed unsettled by something. Deeply so.

"Why?" Naruto asked. Juugo shook his head, his eyes wide. The aura Naruto had sensed from him was beginning to shift. Something...hostile. Puzzled, he blinked. "Is something wrong?"

Juugo grimaced. "I should have never come in here. I could hurt you. I'm..."

"Wait, what-"

But the strange man was already gone. No, fled was more like it.

But why?

So Naruto remained, confused, hurt, but just a bit optimistic.

Juugo was strange, but there was something _good_ about. If anyone was going to help him, it was this kid...who was a man? How ironic in any case that he was one of Sasuke's "teammembers". (Which Juugo was totally _not_. Naruto liked him and all, but only the members of Team Seven had the right to bear that title! This went double for Karin.)

He flexed his arm, and smiled.

_It's not over...And maybe I'm not alone...The girl, Karin, and Juugo...They hadn't seemed to like being here either._

_Although he still could have just given me something to pick the lock..._

It was this pondering that landed him on top a crate, just thinking, anything to keep him off the dirty floor and his mind off the troubles. If he did he was afraid he'd become overwhelmed by its shadows. Just like Sasuke...

A crate. There was a few number of them in the room. One was halfway opened revealing nothing but some hay, like there had once been something in this box that had once served as a packing container apparently, but whatever had been in there was now gone, though.

A pick...A crate...

"That's it!" he shouted loudly, bouncing up from his hard seat. The answer to his predicament was literally right underneath him!  
Crates had nails!

Using his left hand and its fingers that were still in one piece, he awkwardly grasped the end of the half broken lid, and ripped a board off. Adrenalin rushing, he reached for one of the exposed nails and began to wobble it loose. It only took a few seconds and then he had a pick!

Immediately he set to work on the padlock at his ankle. Good thing it was so old and huge.

"Almost got it..."

Heart racing, he fumbled with his pick. _I got it_!

He bounced up, unshackled, nearly yipping with victory...

But fate apparently had a sense of irony because no sooner was his hand on the doorknob when it slammed open, smacking him in the face.

"Ow!"

"Whoops!"

Rubbing his now-bloodied nose, he backed away to see a strange young man laughing at him, swinging a set of keys around his pointer finger.

"W-who are you?" Like Juugo, and Karin, this stranger wasn't wearing the Akatsuki cloak...But his features seemed familiar for some reason. Perhaps it was the slick sharp-toothed grin, the muscular build, and same use of an over-sized...

_Wait a minute! Isn't that Zabuza's sword?!_

The young man with light hair grinned devilishly. "Name's Suigetsu, kid. And you're coming with me."

He practically grabbed him by his ear.

"Hey!"

"I don't wanna hear it, brat. You made a mess and I ain't cleanin it up!"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, deciding to follow along. This guy was seriously walking him out of there!

The man scoffed. "Exactly what I said, kid. The library is a _wreck_, and Madara was like 'clean it up Kisame' and then _he_ thinks he can just push me around and make _me _do it? No way! You made the mess, you can freaking clean it up brat. And I ain't takin' no for an answer!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

* * *

:D His arm - and with it its movement - is FIXED! Yay!

To be continued in TURN 5: A New Era

_Well, now that Naruto's moped a little it's time to do something about his predicament..._

_And explore the Akatsuki's Hideout! YAY!_

_Meanwhile, in Konoha, Sakura is desperate to get Naruto outside help from the Kazekage but the new Hokage stand-in is insistent on keeping his capture a secrete...In the meanwhile, Tsunade takes a tragic turn for the worse..._

_PERSONAL NOTE: LOL, veterans I'm sure you'll notice the __**blatant foreshadowing**_ _or the parallels for future scenes (_like "And when all's said and done you'll wish you had just killed me.") _I used in the original such as the very suggestive dunking torture XD Con of reading previous version I guess. I don't see myself pulling it again. There will be continuous name calling and hitting. Naruto will start spitting too, but he saves that for even specialer occasions X)_

**Yes, Naruto didn't spit at Sasuke in this version (but he decked him real good)...and it was hard keeping the spit out, especially after reading a recent review I got on that scene in the original story: **"_That is some powerful talk no jutsu that naruto threw at sasuke there- designed to destroy his dignity down to the cellular level: a rasenf*ckyouken."_

**Man I laughed so hard when I got that in my gmail.**

**Please send me some more reviews, serious ones, concerns, thoughts, and you know the drill.**

**Anyway the nice thing about rewriting my Shogi story is that I know what the heck I'm doing. Konoha segments will be a lot more present and happen in more proper order with this timeline. In next few chapters, Sakura and Danzo, then the Sand will be addressed. Just not right away as was done before.**

* * *

**Random Notes on Certain Changes: **

**Juugo's Size:** No one brought this huge flaw up, but the thought came came to me that this is right after their fight with the Hachibi. The giant I loved to describe, all the irony of him being so huge but the sweetest thing, is now lost. He is supposed to look like a child now, and until I fix him, he's going to remain shrunk down. And still somehow sound like an adult...

**Sasuke's Twitch: ** Taka is trapped like Naruto, just not in the same way. I failed to show this last time.

**Naruto's Condition.** In the original, Pain ended up dislocating his arm by trying to pull him back from Sasuke. In this version, it was done to him very intentionally by "Tobi". I really don't have much reason for this change other than I felt it was more of a proper time to do it and that Tobi would want to cripple Naruto's fight just a bit.

Also, in the original, when Pain arrived at the Hideout, Naruto was in the process of running so he slammed him into the wall, breaking his arm. In trying to push the story in a more urgent manner, I sped up the time he's in the Hideout before Taka's arrival so this incident is pushed to later. Also he suspected it was an accident. In this version of the story, it will be beyond clear that when Pain _does_ snap it, it is wholly intentional and as a result of trying to fight back. AKA as punishment.

Why am I going to do that? Because reviewers (and a good number of them) had (HUGE) problems with how the Akatsuki was giving him so much lee-way. Okay, let's see if it comes off more proper this time. At the same time, I can leave it to you to fill in the blanks I'm going to leave by not covering just what happened in great detail. But on the other hand, while yes he's a prisoner, he's also not an expected circumstance so they're just doing things at the top of their heads. As I mentioned before, they don't just whack at him for their amusement for the most part. He usually spurs them on.

He'll get to run around again, but get in trouble, more sternly, and that's it. What comes between will not be in much detail to avoid this becoming angst. Although there will always be Tobi trying to mentally break him down and just having him getting talked down to. Or backhanded. How many were in here so far? Three I think? Geez, all this in a single day. Thank goodness I'm finally moving on! And speaking of moving on, Day One is going to be his ultimate low point. Things might get worse at some point in time, but it is in this chapter he will be at his lowest during it all as everything's happening at once and he feels truly alone...until Taka is going to start coming in.


	5. A New Era

_This chapter was fun. My lands, I botched the original version _**so** _much when it came to the Taka's beginning. (*slams head on laptop*) Have fun reading, I had fun writing. Apologies for the long update. But because of it, I have a more solid idea of what comes after this._

* * *

**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

Fate apparently had a sense of irony because no sooner was Naruto's hand on the doorknob of his temporary holding cell when it slammed open, smacking him in the face. "Ow!"

"Whoops!"

Rubbing his now-bloodied nose, he backed away to see a strange young man laughing at him. "W-who are you?" he stuttered.

The young man grinned devilishly. "Name's Suigetsu, kid. And you're coming with me." He practically grabbed him by his ear. "Hey!" Naruto protested.

"I don't wanna hear it, brat. You made a mess and I ain't cleanin' it up!"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, deciding to follow along. If he got caught running around again it would now be this guy's fault for walking him out. Not his.

"Exactly what I said, kid," the man scoffed. "The library is a _wreck_, and Madara was like 'clean it up Kisame' and then _he_ thinks he can just push me around and make _me _do it? No way! You made the mess, you can freaking clean it up brat. And I ain't takin' no for an answer!"

_-xXx-_

**TURN 5: A New Era**

OR

_**MANCAVE + Whom to Trust**_

_-xXx-_

_His arm, covered by paper bombs. The threat from her lips to tear him to pieces. Her voice, filled with conviction. "The Kyuubi is just a tool. One that is essential in bringing peace!" Her eyes, fire._

The Akatsuki prisoner had had more than one chance to kill Neji. Even held back when her partner wouldn't have.

These thoughts still heavy on his mind, Neji sat up from his bed, fingers rubbing his brow until stopping at the mark...That was yesterday, yet his thoughts were still whirling about the whole incident.

Surely she knew her capture might have allowed Pain time to escape...but it would only trouble the Akatsuki in the long run.

So what really was her game?

These thoughts now raging, he quickly stood and got ready for the day.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The Library, as Naruto had learned from his first and very brief excursion, was close to the small room he'd been held. It waited at the end of the hall. Now between the room and it, was a watchful Pain. Naruto had expected the puppet to grab and throw him back in the cramped prison, but they passed by it, only receiving a narrow warning look from the corpse.

Naruto swallowed, keeping his gaze down. He had to learn more about the hideout before he could make a proper escape attempt again, and if he had to lay low as he studied them and made his plans and behave for a while, so be it.

He couldn't afford to fail the next run again. If he did...Well, he didn't even want to think about it.

"The west wing," Suigetsu said, giving the whole hall a name once they had passed the corpse puppet. He hadn't talked until they had put some distance between them and it. Good to know Naruto wasn't the only one who got creeped out by the dead body standing there.

"Complete with the immortal duo's rooms—" Suigetsu continued, laughing at this, joking how they weren't immortal anymore "—and the armory that we just passed."

Which had a barricade seal hovering over it, Naruto reflected. Or had it one on it before? He couldn't recall exactly. Things had blurred in his mind. Either way, now both Kakuzu's and Hidan's room had a barrier seal blocking them off too. No more scythe-picking for him, he guessed.

Finished memorizing the main features of the west wing, he cast a glance to the man pulling him along. The sword of Zabuza's nearly covered his entire thin form. Attached to him with multiple straps, the massive blade looked more like a burden than a choice weapon. It made Zabuza's past ease of wielding it seem that much more impressive.

_What is up with swordsmen and getting the hugest blades possible? _he mused. _Wouldn't smaller ones be more convenient? Is it just some status thing? Sasuke wouldn't keep this guy around unless he was good...And I'll probably have to fight my way past him later since he's with the Akatsuki._

And to fight him, he would need to know more about this guy and how to take him down.

Although Naruto tended to be an optimistic guy, maybe it would not come to that.

Reaching the entrance to the huge library, Suigetsu yanked Naruto into it and whistled at the site, letting his grip fall from Naruto's arm. Numerous bookshelves had been toppled over, their contents spilled and covered the floor in a sea of tomes and scrolls. Suigetsu's pale eyes soon found and followed a trail of dried blood. Naruto's.

And Suigetsu laughed at it.

"Man, you made a mess. Betcha had fun, though, huh? Taken on the big guy. You got guts, kid. Stupid, but gutsy...I like it."

He liked to laugh a lot for a guy that hung around a sore-spot like Sasuke. But Naruto didn't exactly share his humor. Avoiding the sight of the grim trail he muttered: "I would have won had it been done fairly."

"Hah! You win against _Kisame_? In your dreams, _Leaf_-dweller. You're swimming with the big fishes now." His voice was filled with pride as he pointed his thumb to his chest. "Bred right in the Mist."

This was something else that bothered Naruto about this "Suigetsu" guy.

His similarities with Kisame.

His teeth were filed to sharpness, and his eyes and attitude glittered with confidence and an aura that promised violence.

He briefly pondered if this was the guy who had screamed like a maniac during his and Sasuke's fight but his voice didn't match. Whoever he was, he was definitely a shinobi of the Mist as Kisame was and Zabuza had been, but like Karin and Juugo and Sasuke for that matter, he didn't bother donning even a crossed out village symbol. A deliberate act that set the Taka apart from the Akatsuki and many other rogues. So what the heck were they _really_ doing here?

"What _is_ your connection to the Akatsuki?" Naruto asked incredulously. Might as well be blunt.

The man chuckled and bent down to brace the end of one of the shelves. "Not sure how that matters to you. Now help me with this."

Frowning for a moment, he shook his head but, again, just went with it. He took hold of the other end, briefly wincing at his broken fingers. Sure while he had been chained up he had managed to bind them with a thick splinter of wood and some of his cloak he had ripped off to tie it, but it obviously wasn't the best cast. With more effort than it should have taken, he hefted the wooden frame up. With both their guidance the shelf was stood back up and briefly wobbled back and forth.

Once it had stilled, Suigetsu rested an elbow on one of the rows, leaning against it lazily. "There's too much crap on the floor to pick the others up. Clear some of it first."

This guy couldn't have been much older than Naruto but he bossed him around like he was a kid. And Naruto didn't like it. At all. But he withheld the urge to go off on him. He could use Suigetsu's blatant ignorance to his advantage. Suigetsu had literally just taken him to the threshold of the Akatsuki's holding place of information. _As long as the scrolls are all over the place, they won't notice if one disappears along the way. This guy's an idiot for not thinking of that._

So he began shuffling through the scrolls, kicking others to the side to make room. Constantly, his eyes were glancing carefully at them. Quickly determining their value to him and Konoha. Of course, this made him work slower than the swordsman wanted and then he felt rushed and in doing so accidentally dropped a book on his bad hand. Curses slid out between clenched teeth.

Freaking. Broken. Fingers. Ugh.

Suigetsu rested a pale cheek on his fist, in clear apathy. "What's your connection to Sasuke? Huh, _Kyuubi_-boy? I really don't see what's so special about you past the guts that're gonna get you killed here."

Recovering after a moment, Naruto stared at him. "We were comrades."

"Comrades?" He had said it skeptically.

"Yeah. Best friends too."

The swordsman just chuckled and Naruto couldn't help feel a sprite of anger nip at him. Suigetsu was ignoring his previous question like it hadn't even mattered then just asked his own, evading an answer Naruto needed. Juugo had avoided it. Sasuke wasn't going to talk to him and Karin obviously wasn't going to give him any time of day. He needed to understand why they were here.

And if Sasuke was still salvageable.

"We grew up together then got assigned to the same team. Seven. Things were going great, too, until Orochimaru came into the picture. But now that freak's gone but so is Sasuke still. And I need to know _why,_ not only that but why he's _here_." His grip twisted hard on a scroll in his hands. _Why would he _ever _even step foot here after his brother...?_

The Taka member snorted. "Bro, the only thing you are to him is an obnoxious prisoner...A chakra-_crippled_ one at that." He snickered at Naruto's reactionary glare. "Yeah, I heard what Madara done to you. Must suck, huh? No point in keeping you locked up when you can't leave in the first place. Not without chakra. Now that you're just a plain Jane, we might as well put use to ya, huh?"

"That's not funny. And it's not going to stop me from leaving, you know. My stay's just temporary! "

Suigetsu just smiled and leaned down to shuffle some scrolls into the shelf. Deciding it wasn't worth snipping at, Naruto joined along and worked on the next section of the shelf, the huge room strangely quiet as Suigetsu helped him.

A few minutes later he paused, a scroll catching his attention. Taking notice of a familiar emblem he crawled closer to it, and grasping it, turned his back to Suigetsu for privacy. He glanced back once more to double-check that he wasn't being watched and once he was sure Suigetsu was busy with a huge pile in his hands, he turned back to the scroll.

It had a very familiar swirling crest symbol engrossed on it. Licking his lip, he carefully broke the seal and slid the roll out to see its contents. It was absolutely filled with rows of characters, some he couldn't even read. Codes and numbers. And the name 'Uzushiogakure' as the title. It had to be important...He stuffed it in his jacket only to notice a shadow hovering in front of him. He jumped, jerking around.

Madara!

"I—"

It was just Suigetsu. Not the masked man or Pain, but still. Naruto had no clue where this guy's allegiances really were and he totally just watched Naruto pocket one of the Akatsuki's scrolls.

He swallowed, wondering how the man would respond. He could very well drag him out of there, have it barricaded like Hidan's room had been, and worse. Cause him to end back up confined...But to his surprise, the man shook his head.

"I don't care about you or what you do or think you're gonna do. I'm just here to get Kisame's sword. And if you're planning something else stupid...Well, that's just gonna lighten this dump up. And, frankly, I'm very bored and could use the entertainment."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Suigetsu must have either loved the sound of his voice or just talking about himself because he was happy to exposit about himself and his personal achievements the more the minutes passed and became hours. Eventually, they were done with the library and began walking around. Leaving the hall they came to the gigantic foyer in his own personal guided tour of the Akatsuki's hideout. Naruto could only follow along, clueless as to what happened now.

They had passed another one of the Pains again, but like before it didn't grab him or say he needed to be locked up. He must be literally seen as a non-threat whatsoever. He frowned. They were underestimating him. But then again, this was a good thing.

Although one thing was becoming horrendously clear. It was only a matter of time until it became expressed in words and of course, Suigetsu was the one to voice it.

"You _stink_."

Naruto rolled his eyes as they continued through the foyer which was absurdly huge. "Well excuse me for not being shown to a tub. Or having a spare set of clothes. I'm not sure if you've realized or not but they kinda _kidnapped _me and I'm having a bit of very bad week."

He could only imagine the shape he was in. First, he had gone through some major training and practically right after that session he had to fight not just one but multiple Pains. That alone would have been bad enough as a sweat-inducing workout but then Pain had to throw him into the dirt and stab him to keep him there. Dirt, blood, and sweat. Ick.

"Yeah, yeah... And don't you mean _night_, Swirls?"

Swirls?

"Listen," the swordsman continued. "In the east wing, there's a pantry and even a few boxes of clothes. We can go grab you some stuff there and maybe see about finding a room you can borrow the tub in. Okay, Swirls, 'cuz ya seriously need a bath. You're stinking up the place."

Why did he keep calling him "Swirls"? Was it the crest on his jacket?

"Hey, _Shark Teeth_," he jeered in return, referring to the odd teeth that befitted a shark more than a human being. "I told ya I can't help it. It was a _huge_ fight and I haven't been cleaned up since. Just show me a room and I'll take care of it. Trust me, I _really_ want to."

He could practically feel things crawling on his skin and it was practically vomit-inducing.

Suigetsu made a joke (he seemed to make quite a few side remarks) and Naruto almost laughed. But right when he was about to let himself smile, they passed the Gedo Statue. Right in the back center of the foyer and Naruto could only glance up towards the massive monstrosity, his stomach twisting at the site. It was giant, absolutely towering, and haggard looking, and even the stone it was made of looked as if it had been shaped to confine the beastly oddity as it literally shackled and gagged it. The thought of Gaara being subjected to it, the horror as it ripped the chakra out of him...A sour taste came to his mouth.

There would be no lifelines for him like there had been for Gaara.

He needed to recover as fast as possible. And then he was going to destroy that thing and release all the chakra it had so cruelly ripped from poor hosts like himself. This wasn't just about himself anymore. The Akatsuki's days of capturing Jinchuuriki ended with him.

Moments later his daydream of tearing this place and its member apart was cut short by Suigetsu. He was pointing to the first room in the east hallway that they'd just reached.

Thank kami.

"This one is—"

Naruto promptly entered and closed the door on Suigetsu's face.

The swordsman smiled for a moment before it dropped. Seriously? "This is supposed to be _my_ room."

The tub faucet turned on.

Suigetsu sighed loudly. "Fine, I'll come back..." He then cupped his mouth, shouting through the door "And I'll find you some spare clothes, alright!"

"OKAY!" was Naruto's screamed response.

With one last glance at the door, Suigetsu left, shaking his head and smiling.

Back in the room, Naruto took no time to get the heck out of his bloodied and sweaty clothes. Wearing just a towel around his waist was seriously preferable to his clothes in the shape they were. And his body was worse, this only became more evident the more layers he stripped himself of. Dark bruises spotted his skin, and blood and dirt coated it in thick layers.

He really had needed this bath, a very, very long one. Just to sit in the scalding water and let it soothe his flaring muscles. After washing the grime off he just sat there, thinking. Worried about the area around where Pain had stabbed him during his scuffle with Sasuke. Unlike the other times, he had been impaled, this one had gone much deeper. Now that his thigh was bare he could see pinkness surrounding the wound...Pinkness that was swelling and tender more than it should be. And then there was the wound itself. It was really just a smaller circular scab but it looked off.

Biting his lip, he used his thumbnail to slit through the scab. Instead of blood, pale yellow seeped out.

He grimaced.

Without the Kyuubi's chakra healing him...

Not wanting to think of what that would entail he quickly got out, tying a towel around his waist. Finding the bed and checking it over he tucked the scroll from earlier under it and finally sat, rubbing his temple.

He was seriously in a bad spot. No friends and no chakra. Both of which he needed the most if he was going to escape. He needed out and he had to get out even if it meant doing it alone, without backup from Konoha. But _how._..?

Void of any answers, he turned his attention to the room around him. There was only a bare minimal of various pieces of furniture, the bed, a desk and wardrobe, and huge bucket-like containers with lids. No weapons that he could use had been left behind so he decided to check inside the buckets. Inside his fingers were met with a gray mushy substance. Clay.

_Great, of all rooms I end up in this explosion-obsessed freak who had mouths on his hands..._

Reflecting on that a bit Naruto promptly flipped the bed mattress over and threw the sheets and blankets in the tub where he would wash the daylights out of them.

Or at least that was the plan. Turned out he had been a little more tired than he would have liked to admit and the last thing he remembered was closing his eyes just for a minute as he laid on the bed...

A few minutes later there was a light knock on the door. "Hey kid, I got ya some clothes, well I had to guess your sizes..."

He cracked the door open. "You out...Oh." It shouldn't have surprised him to see Naruto passed out.

He gave a sigh, laying the pile of clothes next to him. Naruto being in the shape he was would probably be out for hours. "I guess I'll have to bunk with Kisame then...Thanks, man."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"I request a messenger to inform the Kazekage of our situation and to ask him for his assistance in getting Naruto back."

Sakura bowed her head and resisted the urge to peek a look at the man before her. To gauge his response.

Wrinkled fingers grasped the end of a cane.

The same cane she believed to have killed a messenger toad for Mount Myoboku. Of course, she didn't know this for a fact but suspected the puncture wound had come from such a cane. The question was why?

Then again, this _was_ Danzo. The embodiment of the village's darkness. The dark roots that supported the tree called Konoha from below. A person she had hoped never to come close to but with Tsunade still in a coma-state he was the next in charge. He was the only one who could save Naruto.

_But after killing the messenger..._

"No."

She held in a gasp and lifted her face. Trying to stop Naruto from returning into a risky situation was one thing. Perhaps it would have been better. But to say 'no' to getting him back?

She tried to force her voice to remain calm and suppressed her features from showing the icy feeling she felt towards this man, as had her mentor. The fact he was in charge now was the only reason she was here now, at his tent, instead of watching over Tsunade or helping at the hospital. She couldn't be away from either for too long. "But sir, why?"

"Because we are vulnerable like never before, Miss. Haruno."

A political angle. It figured. Still, this was her best friend.

Her eyes narrowed but she held her tongue.

Danzo continued. "If word spread that our Jinchuuriki was captured along with the village being destroyed, we would have an even greater catastrophe on our hands. We would be attacked from all sides. This cannot happen. We must remain strong, even under the current situation."

Sakura couldn't deny his point. But still. "I understand the situation but please rethink this. No other village has to know, just Gaara."

"He is not just a shinobi but the Sand's _Kazekage_. And as the Kazekage, this affair is not business—"

"They're friends, though," she countered. "And they came to us when they needed help and we saved him. Now they can repay Naruto the favor. I know very well he would gratefully do so to spare Naruto from the same fate!"

Danzo stared at her like she was a pest and it took every ounce of her willpower to not give in to the explosive urge to swing her fist at him.

"My special forces and them _alone _will handle the situation. I already have men on the move."

This did not give her any comfort whatsoever. But with Danzo acting as a substitute for Hokage by the Elder's wishes she could not argue or disobey without serious consequences...Directly that is. With a curt bow, she raced out of there, heading to the outermost section of the village where some of the buildings had been more salvageable. There, some of the surviving messenger birds were kept...

But had she been more attuned to the surroundings and looked back after taking her leave she would have seen the old man give a nod and a shadow depart.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_Crimson burning across the paper of the shoji screen doors in streaks and splatters...Shadows dancing, until leaving a lone figure...And the sound of a little boy's scream._

The images clung to his retinas like leeches.

And like a vampire, when he closed his eyes or saw only darkness, it came out to haunt him. Sapping away any lightness to be had, or felt. But Naruto knew he couldn't give into Madara's haunting imagery, if he did, he would be robbed of any hope, and only sink into despair.

Madara's vision was of a perverse Konoha. A picture Naruto wanted no part of. And he would not have that. He'd shun the very idea...But no matter how hard he tried, nothing could take the imagery, the utter horror of it, away.

Naruto rubbed his eyes, trying to put the dream away, and found himself feeling even more tired than before. And extremely hungry. He hadn't been able to sleep long thanks to the nightmares, and once he had woken up Suigetsu was quick to drag him out to show him around again. He suspected it was because the swordsman was bored and needed something to do. Or maybe he wanted to know more about Naruto's time with younger Sasuke. His questions about his teammate went on and on...

_What was Sasuke like back at the village? Was he always moody? What are his weaknesses? _And the most persistent question in particular: _What are some embarrassing stories?_

This was probably the one time in Naruto's life when he seriously did not want to talk about Sasuke.

When Naruto got Suigetsu back on track he proved quite useful in pointing out the different rooms.

"Kisame's right across ya, and connected to his room was his old partner's room. Know who?"

"I'm not an idiot dude. I saw them as a team once. Kisame's partner was Itachi."

Suigetsu glanced at him puzzledly. "Wait, you saw them together?"

"Yeah, twice."

"That's actually quite impressive. Seriously kid, how are you still alive?"

"Who's in Itachi's room now?" Naruto said, rolling his eyes.

"Sasuke."

"Ugh."

Suigetsu laughed at his response. "He really ticked you off, huh? Them were some mean words you had said..."

Naruto changed the topic again. "Sasori was Deidara's partner so what happened after he had died?"

If he was going to be in Deidara's room for the time being, he should really know who was right next door.

Suigetsu rubbed his chin. "That's a good one. By the time we had gotten here he was already dead and his replacement, Tobi became Madara and that guy has his own private quarters...Karin just took that one."

Karin? Well, at least she was a medic. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"And the little boy?"

Suigetsu gazed at him questionably. "What boy?"

"He said his name was Juugo."

Suigetsu laughed loudly, throwing back his head. "A boy, huh? That kid keeps all to himself, as far apart from us as he can at night time. Probably crashes in Kakuzu's room in the west wing."

Naruto looked down sorrowfully. "And the maniac, the one who was screaming earlier like a lunatic?"

Suigetsu sniggered at him as if he was some clueless idiot. And before Naruto could get an answer from him they had arrived at the pantry.

Oh kami, the pantry. Boxes of cans and even fruits. But it was not these that caught his attention. Naruto could not help squeal with glee seeing the tower of instant ramen containers. There must have been dozens! He grabbed them by the armfuls and glanced to Suigetsu. "Where can I warm these up?!"

Captive or not, they all knew he had to eat to survive. He was going to devour every single one in one sitting, he didn't care if it made him look like a pig, he needed every bit of it to refill.

Grabbing some yogurt Suigetsu made a face at Naruto's bundle.

"You're not seriously gonna eat that crap, are you?"

He stuck his tongue out. "Just give me the directions to a stove or something."

"At the edge of the sparring grounds. There's a corner they reserve for small fires. I'll take you there. It's about that time of day when it's in use anyways."

In use?

Seeing his questioning look, Suigetsu grabbed his shoulder. "Here, back to the foyer, towards the back it leads to it. Come on."

Carrying half a dozen of ramen cups he followed after Suigetsu. This time, as they passed it, he refused to look at the statue. It would only drag him down, worrying about it. It wasn't going to happen. He was going to use this time as a chance to gain information about the Akatsuki, wait for help, then escape. Then he was going to come back to destroy this place.

Who knows, maybe the "Taka" could be of use...

Just as Suigetsu had said, the foyer leads to another huge section of the hideout. It swelled with space. An occasional crater dotted it from fights, and off to the side were benches and equipment racks. In the furthermost corner was a section with a table and shelves.

"Fires go there."

But it turned out they weren't the only ones there. Karin was seated at the table, partaking in a bowl of salad.

And then it hit Naruto. She wore shorts and thigh highs...but long sleeves. Sleeves to cover her arms that were covered with scars...and a recent wound.

Approaching the table, Naruto's face blushed red. Guilt gnawed at him. Yeah, he had been forced, but still. He could still taste her skin. Her blood. "Um—"

"Suigetsu!" she screeched, glasses flashing as she looked up and saw them. "What's _he _doing out!?"

He didn't like the way she had said "he".

Suigetsu sat down beside her, chuckling. "I'd figure it'd be funnier! Plus," here he leaned over, cupping a hand over his mouth, "he would know some dirt on Sas—"

A pale fist crashed into his new buddy's head and next thing Naruto knew, a liquid was splashing all over him and he screamed.

_SHE KILLED HIM! HOLY CRAP SHE JUST PUNCHED HIS FREAKING HEAD OFF!_

Oh man, just think what she would do to him who wasn't a team member! He snapped his mouth shut, doubling back...Then he realized something. There wasn't actually any blood on him. The shirt he was wearing clung to his torso in gray. Not red.

"Huh?" He looked at Suigetsu's body, that was inexplicably still standing up.

What was left of Suigetsu's neck started moving up in what looked like clear liquid, the same liquid that had splashed on him, forming a sphere. The sphere quickly shaped into detailed features of his head, a brow and sockets, nose and mouth, hair and all. He stared at him, baffled. Just what the heck was this guy?

Back to normal Suigetsu was just smiling as if this was an everyday thing. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that to me, Karin."

She merely huffed. "You're nothing but trouble, Suigetsu, and I'm not going to patch him up when they beat him up again. It'll be on you!"

Seeing this as his chance to cut in before Suigetsu riled her anger—kami knows he had learned his lesson from doing so to Sakura—Naruto cut in. He really wanted to get that apology in, especially now that he knew she was outspoken with her anger as she had just shown.

"About that..."

She glared at him, stabbing a tomato with too much force. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I'm sorry that happened...I really am...Karin. I'm sorry."

He had expected some curt response but none came. Not at first. She just spouted out "Sasuke's the one you should be apologizing to. You said some horrible things to him."

So that's why she had been angry with him. _She must be one of those Uchiha fangirls...Figures. _Practically every girl he met seemed to be.

But he wasn't sorry. Not at all. He stuck his nose up, scoffing. "But all of it was true."

But.

But...

As if to prove the truth of the phrase "Speak of the devil" Sasuke entered the sparring grounds, Kisame behind him. And he walked right to the equipment without even so much a sprinkle of acknowledgment towards Naruto. Just threw a towel to Kisame who caught it mid-air. Naruto glanced down, hurt.

_That scream._

A broken cry that had wrenched him from his nap earlier. A nightmare.

A nightmare he had never thought of in such a stark way before. Whether true or not, Sasuke had just been a kid when he had went through such a traumatic event, the death of his family. It really was no wonder then he was so screwed up in the head...But it didn't have to be that way. If only he would let Naruto and Sakura and Kakash—Team 7 help him.

Part of him wanted to reach for him right now, call his name and get his attention. To apologize. But the other half knew how stupid that was. How too-far Sasuke was right now.

They used to be best friends and now Sasuke was just sparring one of the Akatsuki, as if some routine thing and ignoring him, who was being held captive by them. Nothing said "I couldn't care less" more.

_Friggen jerk._

Guilt nudged him in his gut. He wasn't sorry about what he had said. No. But if he was honest with himself, he was sorry about _how_ he had said it.

Still.

Sasuke being here didn't change the fact he needed out. Being with at least half of his members was the perfect chance to ask what could be a very crucial question.

He sat himself down, looking Karin and Suigetsu in the eye and cleared his throat.

"How did the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki escape you guys?"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

**To be continued in TURN 6 A Game of Shogi **_**(Previously **_**"**_**To Get Back Up")**_

_**If he can get his crystal back, trying to learn to use the Kyuubi's power to escape like the Hachibi had should go a lot smoother, right?**_

_**Well, there's just one huge obstacle in the way. Kisame.**_

_**Then, things take an 180 when Naruto learns some horrible news from the outside...**_

_**Welcome, dear readers, to a lesson in a game called Shogi.**_

**_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_**

**REVIEW, please. They keep it going. I need to know how I'm doing, what's working, and what's not. The next chapter should be up soon!**


	6. A Game of Shogi

**It gets Game of Shogi grim later on. YOU HEAR THAT? IT GETS A TAD BIT HARSH LATER ON. Like really, really heavy. Just a heads up. Okay? For those who read the original, I'm going to do my thing. Remember it? There was an event (a couple actually) I completely glossed over in the original, telling rather than showing...Here I'm gonna show it, and expand, and mix elements in so read on, ya lil' monsters.**

* * *

**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

There was something Danzo had said that still bothered her. Tightening her boots, Sakura thought back to the beginning of their brief meeting. She'd been so distracted by Naruto, it was only later Danzo's words were starting to sink in.

He had asked about Tsunade's condition.

Had it been anyone else, the simple curiosity would have meant sincere concern, but this was Danzo. With Danzo, there was something rotten at the core of all his words and actions. She'd remembered giving a confident answer, telling him that Tsunade should wake up any moment.

His answer came back to her now with eerie clarity. "Do not get your hopes up with false faith, young one. It is likely Tsunade went too far this time. Age must catch up with everyone."

What had he meant, exactly? Like had it been a threat, or maybe just his own sick optimism that this time she really had gone too far? But no. He was not the one who tended to her. By all signs, the Hokage was going to recover. It was just taking a bit of time for her to wake up. But she _would. _Sakura knew it in the pit of her being. Tsunade would survive this.

She sighed, tying her headband as slowly as she could, feeling the weight of it tighten around her skull. A memorial service was being held today, a quick one to bring together the village. Danzo would no doubt make an obligatory appearance and pull together a speech to honor the shinobi who had fallen.

Including her sensei.

She bit her lip just thinking about it, on the verge of crying.

It was like the part of her that had been ripped out when Sasuke had left, that gaping hole of a void, had grown bigger since yesterday and even the gentlest touch to the sensitive wound threatened to break her. But. She couldn't afford that. Everyone was depending on her.

Fighting back the threatening tears, she tied off the band and left for the ceremony, her fists clenched.

Behind her, the shadows lengthened, embracing the Hokage's tent.

_-xXx-_

**TURN 6: A Game of Shogi**

OR

_**To Get Back Up + **__**Two Choices**_

_-xXx-_

_"How did the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki escape you guys?"_

Their answer was the very key to his escape, he just knew it. He would duplicate the method, use it as his own, and leave. He could only pray he could pry the answers from the team. Could only hope with every fiber of his being it was even a remote possibil—

"He used its chakra, tricked us with a transformation," Suigetsu answered matter-of-factly.

"Suigetsu!" Karin screeched. "Don't tell him that! He'll only attempt the same thing!"

"He's chakra crippled," Suigetsu drawled out boredly. "What's the worse he could do, huh? Like this kid could cause harm."

Naruto smiled. So it was possible to use a Bijuu's chakra like that...Mmmmm.

"Yeah," Suigetsu continued. "It was a heck of a fight too. That octopus hag nearly killed all of us. Even Sasuke, which is why Juugo looks like a kid right now. Don't ask me how, like I care, but somehow he's able to absorb 'em and give life, I dunno. It's weird."

Naruto slurped noisily at his instant ramen, nearly devouring it all with just one swipe of the chopsticks. When he got up to grab another container, his eyes darted around the sparring grounds, only barely listening to Suigetsu's words. In the far center, clangs of metal rang out from Sasuke and Kisame's spar. Not wanting to look at Sasuke, at least for awhile, he looked towards the center wall.

He'd noticed actual sunlight filtering through the room, a glimmer of it via a high up slot-like window. Way up top, near the high ceiling. There'd be no slipping through that thing, even if he could climb with rope. But just enough sun came to shine on a small garden below along the wall. It was in this small patch of shrill greenery he caught sight of the crow, sitting there, staring at him, it's single red eye ablaze with a strange intensity that did not fit a bird.

_Ah, there you are. Stupid bird. I took a lot of crap for you._

He grimaced recalling Madara's cruelty and demands. And the water— But that was not something he wanted or needed to think about. It was time he move on.

"...like bubbly orange acidic chakra. The guy was like in _perfect sync_ with his monster. Could even turn into it, and man, was that octopus-bull thing just huge, but you wanna know what the worst part is? His rapping. I'd rather fight the beast itself than that dumb black guy controlling it..."

He could control the animal form? That actually explained a few things. The Kyuubi hated Naruto, yet when push came to shove...He remembered when he'd first woken up in the Akatsuki's hideout and had tried to make a run for it... There had been a rush of chakra that he hadn't been able to explain. It was now he realized it was the Kyuubi's. The fox's chakra that had been granted to him, yet he hadn't gone into rage mode and started sprouting the tails.

Perhaps if they could work together like that again...

He thought this, finishing the third cup of ramen. Karin stared at him in almost horrified disgust. He ignored it.

He needed to get into contact with the fox.

Oh, that's right. Madara had tightened the seal so that even trying to communicate with the fox was now a daunting task. But if he could weaken the seal as he had the sealing one, get to talking with the fox, maybe a necessary truce could be formed.

Considering the alternative, being ripped apart and sealed in a butt-ugly statue, Naruto was much better, there would be no denying that.

Still, he'd feel a lot safer if he had his necklace back. Madara had taken it, calling it "an incentive" to behave himself.

Well, he'd just have to take it back. He wasn't going to risk losing himself. He didn't know about the Hachibi, but Kyuubi was a straight-up monster. He never wanted to be the one looked upon as a monster again, no matter where he was.

"_ You really don't remember what happened, do you?"_

_Never again, Jiraiya-sensei._

"Hey! Where ya going, kid?!"

Naruto didn't bother answering as he trekked across the great room, straight towards the two, Kisame who had just finished his match with Sasuke. Sasuke turned from him, taking a long sip from a water bottle, deliberately avoiding eye contact with him. But as of this moment, Sasuke wasn't his concern. He stood in front of Kisame, shoulders squared.

The man had removed the Akatsuki cloak, revealing a sleeveless black shirt and waist guard. And very thick muscles. This guy was seriously a brick wall coated in shark skin. But Naruto stared up at him, keeping his gaze and voice firm and confident.

"I wanna fight."

The huge man wiped a towel across his forehead. "Huh?"

"I said I wanna fight."

Kisame threw the towel to the equipment rack, chortling. "Fight? _Me?_"

"Yeah. For my crystal you stole."

Kisame's grin widened. "Oh? You mean this one?" He pulled the necklace from his pocket, holding it up. Even with the dim light, it sparkled, somehow managing to catch what little of the sun's rays that managed to slip through the single window slot.

"We fight, no chakra, no weapons. I win you give me the necklace."

Kisame laughed in clear amusement. "This kid's a hoot! Ain't that right Sasuke? Thinkin' he can take me on when even you can't? Cocky kid."

Sasuke just silently left the two, not bothering with a retort.

"I'm serious."

Kisame then had the audacity to put the crystal on. Naruto fought back a growl. To him, it was much more than a gift with the power to help subdue his berserk rages. It was a symbol. The First's own blessing.

"And what if I win, huh, boy?"

"You won't," he answered confidently.

_-xXx-_

Suigetsu clicked his tongue after the blond had left. He gave his yogurt a slurp before tilting his head toward Karin. "Hey Karin, you catch that swirly crest yesterday? On his jacket?"

She didn't answer him, just poked at her salad, her glasses glinting and covering her strange red eyes. He leaned closer, grinning. "It's rare you find one. Hah, back in the day, the Mist had some pretty interesting _encounters_ with the swirly folks. Interesting history. You know, the chakra and the seals. Makes you wonder about him even more."

What came was a quiet whisper, spoken under her breath so he barely caught it: "_I hate him._"

Her loathing was interrupted when a pale hand placed itself on the table beside her. She gasped, staring at it. "Oh!"

"What an idiot." He sounded tired.

Sasuke sat down beside her and she immediately tensed up. "S-Sasuke!"

Dark eyes glanced at her briefly, not even acknowledging her. He was tired, but not from the spar. And he was sweaty.

Suigetsu could only roll his eyes, seeing Karin react to that fact alone. Her cheeks came to an ungodly blush as she stammered on, caught up in staring at him. She bit her lip. "Um, I-I. I, um, can heal you if you need it."

"No."

Her head dropped. "Okay..."

Geez, did she have to look so disappointed? She looked like someone just killed her puppy.

His amused smile at imagining that scenario came to end when a flurry of hitting noises erupted behind him. Puzzled, Suigetsu turned to see what it was, sounded like a fight but they were all...

"Holy crap," he laughed. "The swirl's fighting Kisame!"

"Hn."

Karin jeered mockingly. "A couple of his fingers are broken already. He a masochist or something?"

"You're room to talk."

"SHUT UP!"

"Both of you," Sasuke growled, snapping at both of them. "Quiet."

His fingers were intertwined underneath his chin, his body leaning slightly forward as he watched the spar closely. In the corner, the dark bird fluttered its wings. This did not miss Sasuke's eyes, his mouth drew in a firm line.

Suigetsu noticed and felt drawn into the mystery of the blond and the Uchiha. Just what was the thing between the two really? Had it been anyone else, they would be invisible to Sasuke. But the blond wasn't.

He seemed to agitate him just by existing.

Teammates...

Suigetsu's eyes narrowed as he watched the match with even more interest.

Even after Kisame had just spared the Uchiha, Naruto was still at an extreme disadvantage because of his lack of strength and his current state of health. Kisame was also older and thus all the more experienced in battle. Naruto's only advantage was his speed, youth, and insane stamina.

They walked in circles, studying the other. Naruto was the one to break the cycle. He skidded for a short distance, aiming his leg at the man's knees. Kisame jumped back and caught his leg and yanked it to the side so Naruto fell. He landed on the ground with a hard thud and a groan, rubbing his thigh.

Suigetsu laughed, leaning his head into his hand, arms now propped up on the table. _Should have stretched first, idiot_.

Karin shook her head, almost disappointedly. "Kisame's going to eat him alive. There should be a handicap at least!"

Strangely, Sasuke answered her. "He's not the type to accept a handicap."

Both of them looked to the usually quiet Uchiha now. His tone and expression was oddly...immersed.

Sasuke continued to keep his eyes on his ex-teammate, waiting for him to get back up. And predictably he did. Naruto got to his feet and swung his fist at Kisame only to be hit full on and grabbed hold of. Kisame held him in a tight arm lock, a huge grin on his lips. Naruto gritted his teeth, hissing.

"Done now, little cripple?" Kisame laughed.

"Don't call me that!" Naruto took advantage of his back being in front of Kisame by slamming his head back into him as hard as he could, bashing against his face. There was a crunch and hot liquid seeped down the back of Naruto's head, coating his hair. Kisame nearly fell back as Naruto further sent his weight into him. "Argh!"

This was enough to free him, he twisted around before Kisame could recover, aiming a palm strike towards the giant's solar plexus.

"He doesn't pull any punches at least," Suigetsu noted with an air of boredom. "But Kisame sure is."

What made this bad for him was that Kisame still had the Samehada strapped to him. So Suigetsu couldn't use Naruto's fight as a distraction and run with the thing. Then again, the blades were best won by either being passing on or mortal combat...

Naruto was fast but predictable. Kisame blocked it but wasn't as quick to the next counter attack. While he might have blamed it on being tired or having to pull punches, there was the simple truth that he was at his core a swordsman, and as one he was used to depending on swinging his huge blade and using his chakra for powerful jutsu. His raw combat skills weren't honed as well as his swordsmanship.

But it was still honed better than the kid's just by sheer years of experience.

At this point, there was already red trailing from the corners of Naruto's lips and new bruises forming on his arms, and no doubt his ribs. If it was anyone else they'd be down. But Naruto wasn't the type to not get back up.

"He's gonna get really hurt," Karin scoffed. Her arms were clutched over her stomach. If this ended badly...Well, back to biting they would go. The only time she minded was when it wasn't Sasuke doing it. If it was, kami knows she opened up to it in a sickening sensual way. "Why doesn't he just stop!?"

"Because he can be stupid…" Sasuke said. "But he can also be unpredictable and that works in his favor."

As if on cue Naruto having his right fist locked once again whipped his left hand and slammed his elbow into Kisame's already injured face. Kisame hadn't seen it coming so had not dodged it. His left elbow landed with a satisfying sound. But then was sent skidding backward as Kisame retaliated with a flurry of powerful strikes.

It was a well-aimed kick to his legs that caused the blond to collapse. He struggled for breath, curling up on his knees and elbows weakly. Suigetsu shook his head and Karin's dark eyebrows furrowed. He was done for.

"We're done here," Kisame announced loudly, for all to hear. "That was fun, lil' cripple, but playtime's over. The crystal's mine."

"Ah…" Suigetsu frowned as he watched Naruto attempt to get up only to collapse again with a groan. His body couldn't take it anymore. It was a doomed match to begin with. "I was just about to get me some popcorn, too."

Sasuke smirked. "It's not over yet."

Suigetsu looked at Sasuke with a puzzled expression. "What're you talking about? The kid's finished, he—holy crap he's getting back up."

Naruto slowly rose back to his hands and knees. He rose even though he was still shaking and gritting his teeth, face becoming a mess or red smudges.

"Wait…" he whispered . Kisame turned around, an amused expression on his face. "Come on, kid. You're exhausted. I ain't fighting such a weakling."

"But..." He coughed and wiped his face off. "But you'll fight like a weakling."

Kisame stopped walking and turned to him, face serious. "Excuse me?"

The room became dead silent as eyes widened.

"I said..." Naruto stood, his legs shaking. "You're one the Seven, right? You act big and tough yet you follow the Akatsuki..." His tone turned mocking. "Like a good little _dog._"

He didn't bother blocking, Kisame was too powerful for that. Just barely ducked to the side as Kisame swiped his arm at his face.

"You wanna say that again, brat?"

Suigetsu shuddered. "Uw that kid has a death wish."

They leaned forward, anticipating Naruto's next move, and it came, weary but prideful: "Woof. Woof."

The man cracked his knuckles, did the same for his neck. Then the dance started again, this time, fueled on by annoyance. The hits became hard and faster. Brutal.

Sasuke shook his head. This was ludicrous. Even if Naruto's was trying to dodge rather than stay on the offense as he usually did, he was still weak. _A burden…_As if to prove the point, Naruto's steps faltered and Kisame's knee went right into his stomach. The impact caused Naruto to cough up blood and collapse to the ground once again. Spitting on the ground and clutching his stomach he yelled, "AGAIN!"

"It's over, kid."

"Not until I win my crystal back!"

"No more."

"You gotta go on a fetch quest for them or something? Fetch for the master. All bark and no bite!"

Suigutsu shook his head, grimacing. "Kisame knows self-control but he has his limits..."

"The crystal..." Sasuke repeated, face an expression of confusion "Is that what spurred this on?"

Karin took delight in spilling her guts on to why that was. "Yeah, Suigetsu sit there and told him all about the Hachibi so now the idiot's probably going to try the same crap, thanks to _him_." She looked to Suigetsu pointedly as her words.

His nose wrinkled. "Whatever. I don't see what a silly old necklace has to do with anything, anyway."

"It used to belong to the First Hokage," Sasuke explained. "It's just yet another thing from the past he's attached to." He frowned.

The fight began again, but it could hardly be called a fight at this point. The only reprieve Naruto got was when inexplicably, Itachi's crow flew towards them, flapping its wings in front of Kisame's face, surprising him. Naruto took advantage. "Hi-yah!"

A strike then a leap.

He jumped, fingers millimeters away from the necklace...Fingers dancing on the edge...When Kisame punched, and he crashed into the wall, consciousness threatening to flicker from him.

But in that brief moment, Naruto for the briefest second seemed to look to Sasuke. His eyes pleading…

Sasuke shook his head, his arms firmly crossed. Naruto's expression broke. His head collapsed against the wall in defeat as consciousness left him.

"Sorry, kid," Kisame muttered, swinging the necklace around his forefinger before he pocketed it and left the grounds. The crow flew to the side to where Juugo had apparently watched from the shadows. The noise of the match must have caught his attention. That or the bird. While the creature evaded Sasuke, it didn't seem to mind his strange teammate.

Sighing, Juugo let the bird hop up on his shoulder as he approached Naruto. He took the edge of his shirt and dabbed it along his head, clearing some of the blood.

"You guys just going to leave him here?" he called to them." Huh, Karin? He's bleeding a lot!"

She looked down, ignoring him. The rest of the Taka just stared with disinterest or fiddled with something on the table. Sighing, Juugo lifted the teen. He grunted as he hefted the bigger body to his back, wrapping his small hands under the teen's legs. "Come on, crow."

It followed behind as Juugo took Naruto to his room.

Once he was gone, Karin breathed out slowly and turned to Sasuke who sat still, staring at the table, his plate of untouched food. "Sasuke," she whispered. "He...I sense multiple chakras inside him. It's so confusing..."

There was such an honest light about him, but that was only part of it.

Sasuke looked at her, eyes wide. "What?"

"I..." She blushed. "I don't know, I-I can't explain it exactly...Just who is this kid, Sasuke?"

He glanced back to the floor, stained red with his blood.

"A dead one. Be sure to remember that."

It was quiet. Then just as Kisame and Juugo, his remaining team members eventually took their leave. Leaving Sasuke alone. Before he readied to leave as well, he gave a quick glance to the south end of the sparring grounds, sensing he wasn't alone. A Pain was there. Of course, one would be, they were scattered throughout the hideout, keeping a close watch. But this one wasn't watching for Naruto, just staring at the center of the bloodsoaked grounds. The piercings on its face glinted in the candle light.

As Sasuke stalked out he ran into Madara who was apparently leaning against the wall. Zetsu was nearby, likewise. Seems the match had had more spectators than originally thought.

Naruto had certainly put up a show. A show of sheer guts and willpower albeit one without victory.

But it was over now.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He woke to find his forehead covered with a cool cloth. Warm hands held his arm out, wrapping his hand, and binding his broken fingers properly.

"You...carried me all the way to bed?" he asked groggily, feeling immersed in the blankets. Almost comfortingly. So warm and soft. Ah, it soothed his tired body. Now all he needed was another bath, but only after he slept...

Juugo tightened the last bandage before getting up from his kneeling position beside the bed. "I didn't mind...But I must ask that you never do something like that again."

"Can't make any promises."

"Please, kid." He had said it so earnestly.

Naruto yawned. "You're not a jerk like everyone else, you know that."

Juugo shrugged. "I don't see what being one gains, except harm to your own self. It's just pointless."

Naruto smiled, watching the crow on him and how relaxed it was. There was a serene air about this kid. "I think Itachi's bird likes you. He only likes the good guys."

The bird flicked its head, smalls legs firm on the kid's shoulder. If that bird did anything besides get his head shoved under water over harshly barked questions, it was watch over him...

"I like that," he said quietly, turning to his side, before wincing from the pain of doing so. He felt so unbelievably sore...

He missed the doubtful look Juugo gave. "I'm not one of the good guys..."

"Hush. From what I can tell by your actions, you're a good kid, Juugo. Thank you."

Juugo couldn't hold back a groan. "Please stop referring to me as a kid, I'm older than you."

"Yeah, yeah..." Naruto mumbled, yawning tiredly. He was seconds from drifting off to sleep again. "Hey, kid..."

Juugo sighed. "Yes?"

He remembered the boy's words from the cell. "_I can't jeopardize Sasuke's position here..."_

He didn't know why but Juugo was bound to Sasuke in a grim but utterly loyal way. Something about for caging him... However it was, it was enough that Juugo was going to comply with keeping Naruto imprisoned when he was clearly willing to help him in every other manner possible.

Surely Sasuke knew the consequences of working with the Akatsuki. What would happen to him once their weapon was complete? Juugo knew just as well. And his concern and distrust towards the Akatsuki radiated off of him. Yet he would not disobey his leader.

"You stick with Sasuke, right? Say I convinced him to help me, would you follow as well? Neither of us belongs here, you know. None...of us. It's what's best...For Sasuke especially."

Naruto was trying to use him, he should feel bad for taking advantage of such a honest kid. But at the same time, he didn't have a choice. The kid had chakra, could move the boulder, and had refused to. But unlike everyone else, he wanted out of there just as much as Naruto. "I mean think about it. The Akatsuki are the last people you want to get mixed up with..." He gave a hearty sigh. "Man, if only I had gotten my crystal back..."

"I would be happy to leave if that is what he wishes."

"Then we're comrades now. Thanks...Juugo."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The ceremony should have been excruciatingly hard to stand through. Instead, she stood there, numbly. Eyes blank, and it flashed by. Words a mesh, faces blank.

"—come over."

"Huh?" Sakura was snapped back into reality by a hand pressing on her shoulder. Ino. The ceremony was over.

"I was asking if you wanted to come over again," she repeated. They were on the outskirts of the graveyard. The sun had begun its descent, fitting the mood of the village right now. By now, the only ones remaining in the graveyard was them and a man who was kneeled by the memorial stone, his dark fingers touching it softly.

Iruka.

It was like his presence haunted the entire village. Wherever you looked, you expected him to jump out, laughing. "_Fooled ya! I'm back!"_

She swallowed the thought away

"I can't. I need to check up on—"

"The hospital's covered," Ino protested. "They're giving you a break so don't you dare use that as an excuse." She had not meant to sound mean but she had. Grimacing, she sighed. "Sakura...I've never seen you so exhausted. It's like...You're trying to bury yourself with him."

"Don't talk to me about my health," she growled vehemently. "I know my limits."

Ino backed away, hurt. She gritted her teeth, turning on her heels. "You may act like it, but you're not the only one to lose a friend or a sensei!"

Sakura winced, recalling how only a short time ago a man that was soon to be a father left that unborn child and his team behind. She remembered how hard it was figuring out how to approach Ino for a while, imagining how horrible it must be to be _that_ team. The team who lost a member to death and everyone knew it. They'd stare at you, wondering how the team adapts to that afterward.

"Ino! Wait."

Her friend's back was turned, her long hair falling gracefully against the black of her ceremony uniform. She was still the beautiful one. The one to lean on for support, to stand up to bullies. But those days had ended long ago and these were bullies of a different realm.

"I was going to say I need to check up on Tsunade." Sakura softened her voice. She didn't need to take anything out on Ino. Didn't need to let herself loose control just because she was tired. "She's not out of the woods yet...Almost, though."

If there was any light or hope, it was in her mentor. Her mentor who taught her to be strong even in the most trying of circumstances. To stand tall until it was over, and it wasn't over yet. This was the only thing she had to cling to, and she felt like her fingers were slipping. She could only hang on for dear life and hope that she could help as many as she could. The people who still had their loved ones to wrap their arms around.

"So I'm sorry Ino, maybe some other time."

Ino was already gone, though, leaving her words spoken only to herself.

Squaring her shoulders, Sakura made way for Tsunade's tent.

But the entire journey she could not stop this niggling feeling the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong, but of course, everything was wrong, so how was this premonition special?

Reaching the tent, she felt a deathly calm around her.

She ran for Tsunade and felt a sea of relief wash through her, as pale eyes stared up at her. Tsunade's eyes were open! But barely, her breath faint.

"Tsunade!" she cried, happily. "You're awake!"

Finally some good news! She felt her heart soar, the world brighte!

"Da..." Her voice was cracked and broken.

"Don't speak, Tsunade-sama. Here, let me get you some water."

She pressed a cup to her lips but the frail image of the Hokage didn't partake of it. Just lay there, unresponsive, to the point her eyes were dilating.

"Tsunade, what's wrong?"

The elder's eyes rolled back, the lids closing.

Gasping Sakura threw the cup to the side and began pushing all the chakra she could muster through her hands. "I got you, just hang on!"

While healing, you could sense things about the body. Like when the chakra wasn't quite doing its job. And at this very moment, Sakura felt that in powerful waves.

_It's like her system's failing but there's no reason it should be! And why is my jutsu doing nothing?!What the heck's going on?!_

"Please," she cried, feeling her mentor slip further away from her. "Stay with me!"

Her breath caught at a single noise. The sound of a heart's last beat. It wasn't the first time she'd felt that shockwave. Just the first time she heard it from someone this close to her. Fighting back a scream, Sakura's fingers raced for her neck. "No, no, no, no!"

No pulse. No air exchanged. Nothing. "NO!"

Tears welled up and she collapsed over her mentor's body, sobbing and screaming. "But you woke up! You woke up!"

Outside, an Anbu guard shifted at the noise. Under his sleeve, his fingers wrapped around a vial before a whispered word enveloped it in acid. His mission was complete. The guard's shift would change soon, so like a shadow, the masked Anbu disappeared.

Across the village, in the Hokage's office, an old man smiled. His new position as Hokage sealed.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

There was always a pattern with him. It had just been a matter of noticing his new routine, the way he silently crept out, took the back of the foyer (barricaded) and came back, more tired than he'd been before, a few hours later. And when he did, this time, Naruto was waiting for him, sitting in Itachi's chair, arms crossed.

"We need to talk."

There was an exaggerated sigh as Sasuke lingered at the door, obviously debating whether to leave or not. But why should he? It was his room.

From Naruto's shoulder, the bird shifted, it single Sharingan pointed at him like a freaking Itachi ghost.

Naruto had showered and changed clothes since they last saw each other. Got some rest. The dark circles under his eyes weren't as evident. Above them, the village symbol engraved on his band sparkled with pride.

It was irritating.

"Get out," Sasuke said coldly, breath slightly carrying the stench of alcohol.

He and Madara had talked at a bar, a place between nations where questions weren't asked. Talked about why the heck the village and been attacked when they knew Sasuke wanted his revenge against it and to destroy it himself. Madara had known that one was coming, had prepared himself.

"_Blame that on your friend," he'd said, tone hypnotically calm. His sharingan and chakra mysterious even to Sasuke. He was holding a cup but not drinking it._

_Sasuke took a long sip._

"_So why am I with you guys, really? The hags are still alive and you know how I feel about them."_

"_As I already told you, our members are down. We're going to need help sealing the last two. But because of Pain's actions, we've gotten too much attention. Until things die and are finished, you and your team are safer with us. Then you will have everything you need to take the village down, completely. All the weapons and funding you need, I'll give it. Including your brother's eyes. The transfusion will take a while to prepare for and recover from..."_

Naruto's expression darkened, calling him back to the present. "After all this time...This is how you talk to me."

"Get. Now."

Naruto remained fixed to his chair, even went so far was to flip through some of Itachi's mission reports.

_Quit. Touching. His. Things._

The crow tensed, sensing Sasuke's growing frustration.

"Get out before I make you."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the threat. "What happened, man? Huh? What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Sasuke sneered. "You are _nothing_ anymore. Now get."

Their eyes met in an intense stare. Naruto's narrowed. "I'm nothing, huh? I take on a brick wall with shark skin with just my bare hands and it is nothing to you. You really are deluding yourself. But they can fix you up at home."

"That place is dead."

"Maybe to you, but not to me. Or Sakura."

He froze at the name.

"Yeah, remember her? She's all alone right now. Kind of like how she was all those years ago. Some _jerk _left her laying in the cold where someone could have grabbed her."

His tone was acidic. Hurt him, he'd shrug and keep going. But touch someone he cares about? "A big jerk," he repeated. "But you were different then, under Orochimaru's—"

"She's not my concern."

They glared at each other, the temperature of the room decreasing by the second. "Orochimaru is dead now. So is Itachi. What's your reason for living now, if not for us or the village?"

"I already told you, idiot."

Destruction of the village responsible. Naruto felt sick. Giving the bird one last stroke, he ushered it away, lifting his fingers. It flew from the room, flying past Sasuke. His hair briefly swept along with the air, covering his eyes.

"So...You're once again you're throwing yourself headfirst into a dangerous game and you won't be talked out of it..." Naruto stood, making to leave, but before he did, he leaned against the doorframe, face cast downward. "Itachi talked to me, you know..."

"Madara told me."

He swallowed, the taste sour.

"I didn't tell him what we talked about."

Sasuke stared at him, face a mask of indifference. But under it, he wanted to know. He craved to know everything he could about his brother's true quest. And Naruto was the last piece.

"I kept that to myself." He closed his eyes, and spoke, tone regretful. "He loved you. And he wanted you to move on...But if you're not going to, he wanted me to..."

He didn't finish, just let the words hang there.

"Sasuke...I can't do what he wanted...I should if it's going to be like this. Any sane person would. But I can't. I'm sorry."

"..."

"I'd...I'd never sat down and actually thought of what that night meant for you. The night your family was killed right in front of you. I can't even imagine how much it truly hurt, but after losing the village...Jiraiya and Kakashi...I just want to cry honestly but...We just don't do that. No, we have to be better than that. Don't we? Just shake it off and act like nothing's happened..."

Naruto shook his head, frowning. "And I was horrible saying Itachi should have killed you too...It's just, I—I was angry, still am, it makes me mad that now we know the truth and we can stop something like that from happening again... but you just gave up on the village. On us, everything...And I don't understand."

"They killed my entire clan. For temporary peace. Men, women, and children. Yet you defend it. Konoha will burn, and you and its ways will burn with it."

Naruto winced and looked to his friend pleadingly. "You don't need to resort to using the Akatsuki to go after Danzo. You could use me. I mean, he must be in a frenzy right now. We can come back, get the truth out and justice can be had. But not through the Akatsuki. They only care about their own goals. You're going to get nothing from them, Sasuke. So come on. We can be a team again."

Sasuke tugged on his arm, pushing him toward the door. "It's over, idiot. My plans are set and don't involve you."

"But—"

"Get. Out."

"Fine, I see how it is...But I'm not giving up yet. You know that."

The door shut, and only then was the silent whisper let loose.

"I know."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Naruto exited the room only to collapse against the wall, sliding down it until he was seated on the floor, feet in front of him, knees pulled up slightly.

He was tired, hungry again, and just emotionally exhausted. All the tension building up...and nothing. He was getting nothing from Sasuke. It made him hurt. He just didn't seem to care whatsoever for him or the team. He could understand him hating the village, now more than ever...But after all they had gone through in the past...

He wasn't going to accept it. Nuh-uh.

Sasuke just needed some time, then they'd team up again, and destroy this...

A shadow flashed against the ground, so fast he almost missed it.

_What the heck was that?!_

He jumped up, eyes struggling to follow it. Past the corner, it went, into the corridor.

He gasped seeing it emerge from the ground before a dark figure.

Madara.

And the shadow, a Zetsu, but not the one who was hanging out at the Hideout. This was a new one that must have come from the outside.

_A spy._

He clung to the wall where they couldn't see him, holding his breath.

"An update?"

"Yeah, the Fifth died. Danzo's got full rein now..."

There was a silent curse. "Sasuke is not to learn of this. I don't know how he'd react."

Anything else that might have been uttered did not reach Naruto's ears, all he could hear was the echo of the words 'the Fifth died'.

The Fifth...The Fifth...

Tsunade.

Died.

Tsunade just died.

He stumbled backward in his shock, the words of the conversation fading further away from him.

No. No. She was alive!

Unless...He remembered coming back, her chakra, how it was so dangerously low...

"God," he whispered. He clutched at his chest, where his necklace should have been."No..."

No.

_All those who wear it die._

No!

_The feel of her lips on his forehead, acknowledging him and accepting the mantle of the Hokage herself. How he was the one who'd won it. How he'd pushed himself to learn that jutsu, and her motherly smile._

No, she would always be his granny. But. She was dead now.

Tsunade. Dead.

No.

Emotions were whirling inside him. No, it was bull, it couldn't be true! She had been alive when he'd been in the village and—!

He was seeing red, his ears were ringing, body moving on its own, whipping his headband off, digging his fingers into the metal plate until his hand was bleeding.

Uw, he knew what he had to do. What he felt, and that was a violent wave of emotions, crashing through his mind, his heart.

He leaped at the Pain nearest, in the dark shadows, taking it by surprise and screaming, hacked away at its eyes, slamming the metal edge into it repeatedly, crying out as he did so. Crying not just for her but Kakashi again. Wound on top of wound.

There came an incoming shout, as Madara ran for the two. "Pain!"

Naruto barely heard it over the rush in his ears, his stomach, the seal burning to be let loose. Burning for the dark power that only his tailed form could give him and he screamed, bashing the metal plate into the socket until it stuck fast.

"MY HOME, MY VILLAGE AND MY SENSEI WEREN'T ENOUGH, YOU HAD TO KILL HER TOO!"

He had to be forcibly ripped off.

Madara wrenched him by his hair and slammed him into the rocky wall. Naruto cried out, falling down, his face scraping against the rock. He attempted to sit up, but Madara's strong hands came down on him, arresting his arms. Madara cast a concerned look at the damaged Pain, then the head one as it approached the violent scene.

The Pain Naruto had attacked was sprawled on the ground, it's head in gory pieces. They couldn't even identify which one it was.

The Pain bent down to examine the broken face. "These Rinnegan are completely ruined."

He pulled the headband out of its socket. Pocketing it, the head Pain turned to Naruto who was trembling in seething anger under the Uchiha. "You can have this back after the ritual. I—"

"You sick son of a bi—" Madara slammed his face into the ground, this time he held it there, pressed into the rock.

"You will keep that mouth of yours shut."

Naruto's reply was muffled past comprehension but the message was clear. A big 'F-you'.

Madara looked to Nagato's main form once again. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't have the means to recover them here, I would have to go to the Rain...But my plans are still the same. I will remain here until the last Jinchuuriki is sealed."

"And the boy?" Who was struggling under him.

"Let me deal with him personally."

_-xXx-_

Like their last fight he was grabbed from behind, a second Pain holding him with his arms locked, but unlike last time, there was no nature chakra to use. The Pain in front of him didn't make Kisame's mistake of breaking his rib cage and damaging his lungs. No. This time it was his lower stomach, but mostly his face, repeated slugs to it. Each only more painful than the last.

And there was nothing he could do to protect himself, just turn his head to the side and grit his teeth and bear it, waiting for it to stop.

Finally, it did, Pain let go. He slumped to his knees, blind from his own blood. His head was pounding, felt so raw from the beating, but that was nothing compared to the ache in his chest.

"You will not attack one of my Pains again, understood?"

The statement echoed of their fight: "_You going to come quietly now, Kyuubi?"_

It was a window that was being granted to him. A chance to tuck tail in and crawl back to Deidara's room to rest, recover, whatever.

Pain asked one last time: "Yes?"

Naruto smiled grimly. They just kept going in this circle. And he wanted it to stop. To slip free from it...

But he spat at him.

There was an audible sigh. "So we're not done here yet."

He said through bloodied teeth, "You bet we're not, you butcher. I'll take all those stupid eyes out!"

Swept up in both in a pained daze, he could only take the blow and fall, his eyes closed as the Pain wrenched his hands together behind his back. The cold harshness of metal tightened on his wrists, locking them with audible clicks. Shackling him.

Pain forced him back to his feet and began leading him to walk. Naruto knew where he was going to take him. So when he begun to drag his feet, it didn't surprise him when that didn't stop a very intent Pain. He felt a crack and his head was whipped to the side.

"Now!"

They reached the small-closet space of a room, or cell rather and he was thrown in unceremoniously.

The boxes and crates had been removed. Everything but a bucket. He would have laughed at the implied intention of that bucket but tonight was not the night for humor.

A surprise kick came. And another, this one connecting to his forehead, end of the sandal heel digging into his eyes, one split second before he rolled away.

The room became still. The only noise was his heavy breathing and the clinking links of his shackles as he scooted towards the wall. With the crates gone, there was nothing to use to support himself. Still, he pushed on, until he was in the corner, inexplicably feeling safer against it.

Pain was lucky Madara had tightened the Kyuubi's seal. Had he not...

Somehow he managed a word through his raw throat. "Why?"

It'd sounded broken to his ears. But one was ringing anyway so it's not like he could even hear properly. He swallowed, the act painful and pushed his voice out again.

"I don't get this... Any of it."

"It's simple, Naruto. What do you not understand?"

"You say you want peace but all you do is ravage and…and you kill like it means nothing! Are you really so robotic as that! Nagato's not real, and all that's left is a twisted shell."

"The death of your sensei were a necessary cost for the greater good. For peace"

"No," he spat. "You're just a monster."

"Let me put it this way. Imagine the world being a game of shogi—"

"Just shut up," he growled, already trying to use the wall to pull himself, to get back up.

"The idea is simple enough for anyone to understand. Even you. Shogi is a strategic game of battle, where both sides are bound by the goal to protect their King. You can liken this to the Five Nations. The King would be the Kage that have the power to wage war against the others when they see fit. And in this war where all the pieces make their unique moves lies the power of promotions. And capture."

The boy's fist tightened as he moved his hand around, trying to gauge the limit of the shackles. Not much, if at all. "You ain't no friggin' Kage. Or god. Just a criminal."

"Let me continue. Because of the way the game operates, it's a cycle of warring that never ends until only one side still stands. But even then the board's just reset and the war begins again. That's just what it is and you can't change that fact. People will always fight for their own reasons and innocent people will always die.

"But, put in a new piece to the game, the ultimate weapon, and people will be forced stop the warring in fear. Of course, you can't change human nature so the battles will come again and the weapon will simply be brought out to repeat the process. But ultimately, with the ultimate weapon, times will come when death won't happen to anyone else."

"It's still the wrong way," Naruto whispered. "When I become Hokage…I won't let it continue…And I've not given up, yet. Even in shogi captured pieces can return to the game board. Isn't that right?"

"I suppose it is, but—"

"And when I do I'll change the game up MY way, without more pain. I mean—You're just sick!"

"Then you are as well because we both fight the same battles, each death to protect our King. Peace is that king."

He was shaking uncontrollably at this point, teeth grinding. "STOP IT! Stop saying peace when all you're doing is killing! Taking lives that can never be brought back! EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE ME! I mean, who's next, huh?! Who you gonna kill over your delusion?! SHE WAS ALREADY DOWN BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU!"

"I've been here the entire time, it was her own—"

Naruto lunged forward, howling, no longer thinking. All he knew was rage and despair. Death.

The Pain caught him by his neck and threw him across the room. It had been with enough force that it left cracks in the stone and Naruto curled up on the ground, fighting to regain his breath.

"It shouldn't have to come to this. All you have to do is submit."

"Never." He was readying to pounce back up, to kick.

Pain took a couple of steps back, eyes lit with concern. But he regained his composure, pulling another rod out. "You are the one forcing my hand."

With that searing pain seethed through Naruto's body as Pain stabbed it through his thigh muscle and forcibly pushed his chakra through the rod. Naruto's chin tilted up as he ground his teeth together to suppress back a cry. Pain did not stop the stream, only intensified it until the teen could do nothing but drop fully down, along the ground which because of his position, meant his impaled thigh.

And it hurt excruciatingly. He groaned loudly, knuckles white.

"Are you done now?"

The sheer grotesque nature of Pain's chakra made him retch. Coughing, he wiped his mouth along his shoulder.

Pain grasped the boy's face, making sure he regained eye contact . Noted how under one of his swollen eyes, the skin was wet from fresh tears. His eyes glossed over.

"Kill and kill," he whispered. "You have no right to preach peace, you monster. I don't care if you've been here the entire time. If you hadn't attacked my home she wouldn't have died!"

It was death that hurt him the most. What Nagato dished out could never trump that for this selfless orphan.

"I will give you time in here to mourn in solitude. I recommend you reevaluate how your final days will be spent as well. You can either spend them in suffering or peace. You decide."

"I'm going to k-kill you," he whispered. "I s-swear I will."

"Emotions like that breed hypocrisy."

The hatred was thick enough to be palpable.

Naruto's face dropped the moment his hold loosened, and he could not help the overwhelming emotions. It was the silent cry that was not meant to be seen by the enemy. But at this point, it was uncontrollable. He had pointed his face down, but that did not stop the sight of his shoulders trembling, the sucking breaths.

"What the heck's even gained?" he whispered. "_Nothing_."

Perhaps it was recent events, being reunited with not only Sensei but his blonde teammate briefly as well, but Nagato could see himself through the boy, after Yahiko. The pure loss, the rage. And the feeling of crushing reality, breeding an even stronger desire for peace.

"You know," he said. "I once had a friend, Yahiko, and with him, I and Konan sought to bring peace to our villages. So we three formed the Akatsuki after Jiraiya left. We were the embodiment of his teachings...Until the day came when a trap was set. Hanzo feared our influence, so captured and did kami knows what else to Konan. Yahiko, our leader, was killed for her life. He died in my arms...But even that proved to be a farce. None of us were meant to escape. Hanzo and a man by the name of Danzo saw to that."

"..."

"That very man is the Hokage right now, and once again, Konan is at his hands. If you had surrendered...None of this would have happened. I want you to think about that."

"..."

"I don't expect you to accept my ways, but you have no other choice than to play your part. As fellow disciples of Jiraiya, I still bear respect for you. It's strange for someone so young to have such big ambitions, profound goals... You may play it, but you're not a total fool, as someone who desires peace just as we do, you'll learn to accept my generosity at the very least. For now, you'll remain here, no food or company, and you're going to think about what I've told you."

He left, locking Naruto in the cold pitch darkness.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_Yes, that was a bleak drop. I know that. But next time..._

_Uw, more grimness. While Naruto is left to confinement, things outside began progressing further. Gaara learns of Naruto's capture, while Hinata becomes frustrated with how the new Hokage isn't allowing their teams to go after him._

_**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU LIKED THIS OR DIDN'T, TELL ME WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T. DOING THAT HELPS THE STORY CONTINUE, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE WHICH IS ME ATTEMPTING TO IMPROVE ON THE ORIGINAL.**_

_**And as for some recent guest reviews that I wish I could respond to directly, thank you! I love when people bring up things I wouldn't have thought of. The soul's Pain took will be addressed in future.**_

_**Now, for babbles for old people.**_

_This chap should have been worked on a lot sooner, it's pretty juicy. And I actually got to copy and paste quite a bit more than I'd planned, altering of course, and had to alter Naruto's attitude the most. XD Which is a factor people had issues with. Well, now there's more hate. Happy?_

**In all honestly I'm getting to a place where I don't want to copy and paste and alter. I just want to write it from memory, and with the guide of my new bullet-pointed list. This means certain talks are going to be lost. I tried saving a few events and words here, but a lot of it from here on until **_**What the Water Gave Us**_ **is going to be lost and only found in the original. And that's okay, it's going to mean that this will stand out, on its own, free from the ties of A Game of Shogi.**

**I can promise you that Hinata, a certain figure who I won't spoil for new people, and Obito are going to be much better and developed. Especially Hinata! (Not to mention the more crap Naruto goes through now, the more he'll fight to protect someone from being hurt as he was. I like that drive.) But Karin's thing with Sasuke and Naruto's hate physically manifesting itself, and even Itachi's crow won't be. I mean for Pete's sake, he still hasn't named the thing yet. He will soon, though. As soon as they lengthen the leash again...Oh man, one bad thing about remastering something is I keep forgetting things I might or might not have had said, like have I brought up the leash thing yet? Lengthen it and he'll rebel less? Although I'm trying to show that more...Of course, Imma let him out of the hole! **

**Geez, things are just starting to flow on their own again. Help, lol.**


	7. A Man by the Name of Danzo

**A chapter of deals more than not. We're getting warmer...**

* * *

**THE GAME CALLED SHOGI / TO START A WAR**

"What do you mean my request for a second autopsy was denied!?" Sakura's voice rang through the hospital. Loud enough to catch the attention of the entire lobby. "Let me be the one to conduct it!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Haruno," a stiff-nosed man told her. She didn't recognize him and by now she knew most of the doctors who worked at the hospital. Even a few private ones for various clans. "The Hokage—rest her soul—has already had an autopsy. It proved negative to any outside drugs. She died of natural causes."

"_BULL_!"

"Sakura, please." It was Yamato. She turned to him, a sickened expression on her face. "Don't you_ please_ me. He killed her! And you_ know_ it!"

"Sakura, don't do this now..." he said pleadingly, trying to coax her to calm down.

People were staring at her, some patients who needed rest, others potential stooges for Danzo himself.

She gritted her teeth, growling between them, "Fine."

_-xXx-_

**TURN 7: A Man by the Name of Danzo**

_-xXx-_

"How long are they gonna leave him like that?"

As the team walked through the hallway, Juugo could not help voice his question out loud. It had been a while...since the door to the holding cell became mute. Now the only sound that came were strings of sickly coughing.

Karin pushed her glasses up. "Face it, after what he did he deserves to be locked up. Have his own eyes ripped out."

For some reason, Karin had said it looking to Sasuke. He shook her hand off his shoulder and walked ahead, burning the sight of his back into Karin's retinas.

"Where you going?" she demanded.

"To the grounds. Shut up."

Her cheeks puffed but she made no more advance for him.

From the side, Juugo mumbled quietly. "Karin...You don't really mean that, do you?"

"And what if I do?" Her tone did not match her words.

"I won't betray Sasuke but this Kyuubi deal bothers me. What would it really mean for us? And him. Stop and really think about what it has already done to him and the death it'll bring. The kid acts tough but deep down he's terrified. I think we should be too. The Akatsuki...They're death."

"So what?" she muttered. "Sasuke needs them so we stay. End of story."

She was clearly as convinced as he was.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Time was a funny thing. People always say it's the best healer but Sakura was beginning to suspect that claim was completely false because it was doing nothing for her but raising her anxieties. It was strange, with her medical skills she could sew ripped skin back together, mend torn muscles, ease pain. But she could not stop the pain in her heart. She felt heavy, as with each day she wondered about…No. She didn't want to think about it.

Things continued to move around her even though she wished it would all stop. The village had begun rebuilding so people were constantly running around. Bodies were still being found under the rubble and she was sick of it.

She was sick of seeing Danzo in the Hokage's office, at the hospital, giving speeches to civilians, telling them to remain strong. To honor the memory of his predecessors. It made her want to vomit.

"Sakura!" a voice called, getting her attention as she was walking by some tents. It sounded new…but yet familiar, somehow. Puzzled she turned around. She saw an older man with glasses wearing a sleeveless shirt and a boy with dark hair wearing similar attire. It took her a minute to recognize the boy without the hat he used to wear.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, a smile breaking across her face. "You've gotten so big!"

Hearing the flattering remark from one of his heroes Inari grinned widely. "You too, Sakura! It's been so long since I last saw you. You look like a grown-up now!"

Sakura smiled at the compliment from the boy. Inari certainly had grown up a lot as well. His face was more shaped, his voice deeper. He was embarrassingly enough almost as tall as her! The last time she had seen him was when she was twelve, and he and…were crying their eyes out as they departed. She sniffed. That was back when…

His grandpa held out his hand and Sakura shook it. "It's nice to see you again, Tazuna," she said. "Here for the construction?"

"Sure am! When I heard Konoha needed help we both came here as fast as we could. It's our duty as carpenters and also we owe Konoha so much! I still feel sorry for endangering your team like that with the whole Gato incident but it's thanks to you guys the Land of Waves is free and prospering!"

Sakura shook her head. "It was alright. We became stronger because of that experience."

It hurt just to say the word 'we'. She swallowed. He would have been glad to see these two again.

"So…." Tazuna began to say.

Sakura's heart dropped. She knew what was coming. _Please, don't, _she silently begged, hoping somehow he'd receive her telepathic message and shut up.

"Where're the others? You know the rest of your team? I'd especially love to see Naruto again. I bet he's still lively, isn't he? He still the midget?"

Sakura bit her lip.

"He's…"

She stopped, unable to say it. She felt like her knees were about to give out when suddenly a pair of hands pressed on her shoulders from behind.

"Hello. I'm afraid Naruto is currently out of the village. He's on another long mission. He just gets so busy, you know."

Thank Kami for Sai.

Inari made a pout face. "Ah man…" he whined. He then looked at Sai questionably. "Wow, you've really changed, Sasuke."

Sai gave an airy laugh. "I'm sorry—you're mistaken. My name is Sai. I'm Sasuke's replacement. He's also out of the village on a mission."

She could just picture him lying with that perfect fake smile on his lips, she didn't need to turn around and look to see it.

"Oh…replacement?" Tazuna asked pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

Sakura shook her head. Lies and lies…

The whole picture was wrong. Why should the rest of Team Seven have such terrible fates while Sasuke danced in the darkness? Bitterness rose up. "He left the village. He's a rogue now." Her voice came out harsher than she meant it to.

Both carpenters looked at her, with shocked expressions. "You're kidding me!" Tazuna exclaimed.

"I wish I was."

After Tazuna and Inari left to begin working Sai pulled Sakura's hand toward a stack of lumber to sit on. She sniffed as she nearly collapsed into it.

"You okay?" he asked sitting beside her. "I'm…not really an expert on feelings but..."

It was a stupid question.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Sai continued to stare at her until the poorly put up façade crumbled. She began crying. "I just wish I could just teleport to the Sand right now. To talk to Gaara. Or go through every suspicious town and punch the location out of the scumbags who've done business with the Akatsuki. But I can't just abandon the hospital to go after him. I know people are looking but it's not enouth. I mean, the Anbu has got nothing yet and even if they did, I don't trust Danzo! And I asked Neji and Ino's dad about their progress but that witch won't spill anything! It makes me so mad!"

The only shred of hope she had was that there was no sign of the Akatsuki making a further move. But still, that did little to comfort her.

She pressed her hands into her face. "I'm the only one left!" she cried. "It shouldn't be this way—I should have done something to stop it! I should have—"

"Sakura, you can't blame yourself."

Sai, not knowing what else to do but follow the advice of some book he'd read, rubbed her back. After some time she stopped crying and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, burying her face into his shoulder. "Thank you, Sai. I needed this. I just...I needed to get it out of my system."

He continued to hold her. "You can't just give up. I thought you were stronger than that. You'd have to be to have the gall to keep giving the new Hokage hell."

She laughed bitterly. "He isn't my Hokage."

Sai shifted away and smiled at her. "You have his attention, Sakura. As a...As a friend, I'm telling you that's not wise."

She grinned mischievously. "If something were to happen to me right after it did Tsunade, people would know. I'm the greatest asset this village's got when it comes to the healing arts. So much was lost in Pain's attack, so many files, but I remember everything. People would miss me. He wouldn't dare touch me like he did her."

"You can't rely on that to safeguard you forever."

She began wiping her eyes, laughing slightly. "I may not be able to search for him, or prove that she was poisoned, but that doesn't mean I won't seek out help. Help he can't touch. So Sai, I will give him hell, and I won't quit until he faces justice for taking her away, for wanting to stuff Naruto away like some tool."

Sai sighed. "I'm leaving tonight."

"I expected as much."

"We'll be checking up on the other lands. We'll find him."

"No, you'll be spying on to make sure the village's balance is not threatened. They won't even know Naruto is missing."

Sai stared at her, baffled. "Have you been spying?"

"No. I just know that the majority of our class were told he was on a mission. They don't even know he's gone, so why would outsiders?"

He looked down apologetically. "This route is what's best. It's what safest."

Sakura blinked, expression blank. It then hit her. There were a few people who knew Naruto was gone. She remembered that day she had been with a certain someone who had been able to see what she could not. A Hyuuga.

The Hyuuga clan knew the truth because their eyes could see it. Already a new plan was forming in her head. She could only pray that the team could leave without too much notice...Yes, she would ask Hinata and Kiba and Shino to help. Danzo was persistent that his men could find him, but besides Sai, they were tools and strangers to Naruto. But Team Eight? If anyone could trace him, it was any of them.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Blue irises peered as lids opened. Murky water surrounded him. He sat up slowly. Before him, tall bars of a great cage.

A scoff. **_'Took you long enough.'_**

He smiled grimly._ 'Not like there was an extra barrier or anything...'_

What had taken the masked man a few seconds to place had taken him days and complete focus to undo. But Naruto couldn't be happier. He made a brief attempt to stand but only managed to scoot forward. Crossing his legs, he leaned his elbows on them and began tiredly._ 'We need to talk about cooperation.'_

There was a low growl from the fox's throat.**_ 'The only cooperation I'll accept is that of your rage. Your body.'_**

Naruto frowned, looking down warily. _'No. No more.'_

The giant fox's eyes narrowed. **_'You're just a human, one who has been defeated. There is no hope for you. Give me your life and I will take the Akatsuki's away. In my full form, I will destroy Pain and that infernal Uchiha. I will obliterate that cursed statue with all that I have, power you as a petty human cannot even hope to obtain.'_**

_'I know I'm just a human, and the Akatsuki's...They're a new level but...No hope? Really? I can't believe that. If...If Kakashi or Tsunade—or Pervy Sage were here, they'd be cool, assess the situation, and make a move. And they'd win. I have to do that too.'_

There was a small if faint glimmer of hope ringing in his voice.

He had not suddenly come to this point. It had taken hours upon hours of meditation after he had been unable to do anything but mourn. And he did, letting himself cry what felt like his heart out. But then he had come to the point where he thought about them, what they would tell him in this situation.

Maybe it had just been him hallucinating. Or maybe it had been his imagination, but there Kakashi was, that bored facade of his up as he leaned against the wall, book pulled out. It was now Naruto realized he never really read it. He may have stared down at it frequently but it wasn't typed words Kakashi had seen. Naruto understood that perfectly now.

If Madara was right about anything, it was that there was still so much Naruto didn't know. So much they never told him. And Kakashi knew and hid it to his death. But why? Naruto would never know. Could only focus on the present. The painful present.

"You just going to lay there, crying, or are you going to act like a ninja?"

_What can I do? I can't move. His chakra's screwed my leg up and I can't slip out._

The look of disappointment that crossed the image of his sensei stung. "Firstly, assess the situation, taking into account damage, but never tarry on that. You know better than that. Now then, what do you know about your enemy?"

_I know that Sasuke's an official lost cause now...Well until I pull him out. Should help I know the truth...Anyway, he has a possibly invincible swordsman, a medic, and a weird but nice kid with him. I want to reach at least the latter of them...Maybe._

"And the Akatsuki?"

_Pain's weird. Keeps talking like we're the same...Actually, I kind of get the same vibe from Madara, or at least I did before...I don't know. He was...It was like he wanted me to know where he's coming from but it just doesn't add up right._

"Explain."

_Before Pain came into the picture, why did he go through the trouble of showing me that _genjutsu_ about Sasuke? Why keep dropping these vague clues about...My lands he _sit_ there and said I was the Fourth's son and...and that actually makes sense...Kakashi...Why, why the heck did you neglect to tell me that? I mean...I kind of thought about it. And it makes sense, and...all this time...You just...Man, I just need to talk._

There was anger. Kakashi dropped his gaze and turned a page in his book.

Talk? _I'm just a figment of your imagination._

He clutched at his arms, shivering against the cold as he looked to the Kyuubi. _'You don't wanna end up in that _statue_ just as much as I don't wanna end up dead. Why can't we work together?'_

He looked to the beast pleadingly but was only met with a cold glance that spoke volumes of its feelings toward him without even a spoken word.

Pure hatred.

Naruto's head fell down again as he stared at the water below him, its surface the reflecting the cage's bars.

_'That's right. More than sixteen years and all we've ever done _is_ taken advantage of the other. You've taken over my body numerous times when I was emotionally unstable...And I...I took from you without even knowing your name. I blamed you for Konoha's destruction when the truth is, I now know you weren't even responsible. Madara had taken control of you. All these years of _caging_ you, treating you like an item, and I never once tried reaching out to you until now.' _He laughed bitterly._ 'Guess that makes me a hypocrite. But it's not like you're gonna just change your stance over humanity for me, are you? Let me in?'_

A low growl.

_'You don't want to trust me? Fine. But I'm going to give you try to give you a promise. A benefit of a doubt. If worse comes to _worse,_ if there's no other way...I promise I'll give you my life. Take over if it will prevent more harm from coming to this world from that stupid statue. When that time comes, if it ever does, I only ask that you do not harm anyone else. Alright?'_

The great fox blinked a few times, clearly taken aback.

_'I don't want it to come to that, I don't believe I'll still be stuck here for it to reach that point. But at the same time, I can't ignore the facts. I have nothing anymore. They took everything away from me. But you're the same too. All we have is each other now and I would kill myself before I let them take you away. If this trial's proven anything, it's that we need each other. And I have to believe that you're not as bad as they say you are.'_

Red eyes narrowed at him. He did not shrink back, instead braced himself and slowly stood. His legs wobbled with strain but he pushed himself forward so that he was standing before the bars, even if he had to support himself by holding onto the cold steel.

_'I'm willing to give myself if it comes to it, but you're really telling me you still won't try to work with me as a partner? A fresh start?'_

No answer, just a flick of its snout as it turned its head from him.

_'Don't ignore me!'_ His fist crashed against the bar as he sunk to his knees. _'Dang it. You helped me out before, why don't you do that now? I mean, syncing our chakra has been possible all this time! I know I'm selfish for wanting to live if it means you have to stay here but there are things I have to do and I can't do them if I'm _gone,_ if I've lost myself.'_

**_'No, losing yourself in battle is not weakness.'_ **For one moment there seemed to be an air of remorse about him. **_'Not when directed at your petty human kind...'_**

While negative in response Naruto sensed a sincere aura about the fox.

Just as he, the fox, whatever—whoever—he really was, had been used. Naruto couldn't expect him to see humanity any other way. Not in a single night.

_'You're wrong about that. And I won't allow myself to be lost again. So when you're ready to cooperate, holler. I'll be listening from now on.'_

It snorted.

_'I'm serious, I'll come down here every day to try to talk sense into you. There's so much I don't even know about you, I just made assumptions based _off_ everyone else. But I know now that Madara controlled you, just like he wants my submission. People are pawns to him and if we figure this out, we can take him out.'_

**_'No, let's get this straight. I don't trust you and I never will. You're weak. Too weak to slit the throat of your enemies.'_**

_'How many times do I have to explain myself, I—'_

The fox's head jerked upward, his ears stiffening as his eyes stared forward intently.

Naruto tensed. What was it?

**_'I sense the Uchiha coming, brat.'_**

Oh.

_'Wait, you can sense him?! Why didn't you tell me this before! I mean what else can you just radar _in to_—You know what. Nevermind. We'll talk about it later, buddy.'_

The fox looked at him as if he were a bug. Naruto smiled in spite of himself.

_-xXx-_

A crack of light split the floor, he winced, shrinking back from it. After a moment, his eyes finally adjusted. He found there was a painful difference from being in the real world to his inner consciousness. It didn't hurt so much in the latter.

"It's been long enough, I imagine."

"Buddy" had been right. It was Madara.

Wetting his cracked lips, Naruto somehow summoned his voice. "If you're here to let me out, know I can't walk. He done screwed up my leg with his chakra. I tried."

There was an exasperated sigh. "I see you still like to complain."

"And you're still hiding behind a mask. Hmph, some organization. Its leader goes around hiding his face."

The coughing that followed took some of the sass from his voice and he scowled his throat itching.

Madara kneeled beside him, looking down at the telltale injuries. "You're certainly a sight. He did a real number on you."

"Yeah, yeah, get on with it."

There was a pause. "On with it?"

"Yeah. I know why you're here instead of Pain or that plant guy."

"Do you now?"

Naruto fought back a weary sigh as his gaze dropped to the floor, his chin resting on his knees. "There's been a new development. So you want information on the new Hokage. Well as much as I know anyway."

Madara chuckled, pleased, his fingers already bracing Naruto's chin to tilt his face toward him. But Naruto had his eyes down.

"But no Genjutsu," he whispered. "I'll give it to you. Everything I know about that scumbag."

Now Madara was really curious. "Will you now? Just like that?"

Naruto shifted his chin away. "Only because he's a poison. A common enemy. Besides, I'm exhausted and I can't fight anymore. So I'd rather not be mind-raped if I can help it."

"I see."

Madara grasped the rod still in Naruto's leg and yanked it out. It should have hurt but all Naruto felt was the movement of the rod against his muscles and skin. He was numb to the pain. He did though feel foreign chakra inside him stir. He grimaced.

"Hnng!"

Fingers wrapped his bicep tightly. "Let's have a chat then."

He was led to a long table with lots of chairs surrounding it. The Akatsuki's conference room he realized. The masked man directed him to a seat and once he had fallen into it, his hands were shackled to its leg.

"We're going to keep this civilized" was Madara's answer to Naruto's brief tug against it. He should be flattered he guessed. But then again this was because Naruto had gone animalistically berserk on a human puppet and tore its skull to pieces with his bare hands. He still had the blood from it under his fingernails.

It was an image Naruto was afraid to even think of. A mirror best kept far away.

Madara then kneeled in front of him, taking hold of his arm. In his other hand was a syringe.

Naruto watched warily as Madara preceded to roll up his sleeve and point the needle over a vein.

"Don't move."

His blood filled the glass and Naruto fought back a grimace. After a moment Madara pulled the needle out and pocketed it.

"What was that for?" Naruto whispered.

He didn't answer. Instead, seated himself directly in front of him. "So," he began, knitting his fingers together. "You will tell me everything you personally know about Danzo Shimura."

"Why did you just take my blood?"

Madara stared at him, still as a statue.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

Madara waited.

Finally, Naruto shifted back. "I'll give you everything but you have to give me information in return."

"Do I?"

"Earlier, you seemed like you wanted me to know about the Fourth being my father. I want to know your side of the story, on him, and the attack of the Kyuubi that night."

Madara seemed amused. "That's pretty reasonable."

Naruto bit his lip. "And one more thing. Promise me I can go back to Deidara's room."

Here the masked man chuckled. "You've become a nuisance. Destroyed a Pain...We won't allow such behavior again Naruto. That behavior is not acceptable for a prisoner."

"I destroyed it because he let her die. He said no one else had a reason to get hurt if I was here."

Madara continued as if Naruto hadn't even spoken. "We could keep you under a coma, shove food down your throat when needed...But any of us could leave for business at any time. Not to mention..."

His pant leg was pulled up, exposing the wound on it from earlier. It had swollen more since he had last looked at it, the scab a sickly color. The skin around it nearly red in hue and wider in range than it should have been.

"The rate of that infection is positively abnormal. I could smell it from across the hall."

He blinked a few times. The masked man leaned closer, eye connecting with his.

"When was the last time you were sick?"

The question struck him as strange.

"I...I actually dunno."

What did that have to do with anything?

"I thought so..."

Whatever cogs were spinning, Madara didn't care to elaborate. Instead leaned back.

"The medic will need to keep a close eye on you. But she is Sasuke's and I doubt he would bother, nor should he be bothered."

Here Naruto let out a defeated sigh. "Listen...If he did what he did to make sure I knew my place, well he did it. I'm not looking to be hurt like that again...So I want to stay in a room."

"He beat you because of your actions."

"I was upset."

"Which you seem quite calm now..."

"Meditation."

"So, you think you should be allowed to waltz around just because you've had time to calm down?"

"You've chakra crippled me so I don't see how that means anything."

Madara gave a chuckle. "Don't _play _innocent, because you are _anything_ but innocent, Naruto."

"Alright. You caught me. It's literally been days since I bathed. I'm dying. I just need a bed, a bath, to talk to people. I don't like being..." Naruto swallowed dryly. "Can you expect any less? You guys suck at this whole kidnapping thing. It's like you guys want me to starve or thirst to death. Then what'll you do?"

Madara laughed. "You're quite lively for having just been in solitude..."

Here, Naruto had to hide a brief smile from escaping.

"I told you, I had to meditate. Or I wouldn't be. I'd be a wreck. I can't fight you guys...If Pain taught me anything it's that I need to choose my battles carefully and I'm focusing on the wrong ones. And I've suffered enough. I'm tired and hungry. I hurt all over and it's not stopping. I can't take any more of it."

It was an honest confession.

"Okay, I'm listening. Tell me about Danzo, seems he's become a common enemy. Funny how that turned out."

Naruto nodded, his expression grim. The really funny thing was that his expression was clearly of remorse. Guilt for what he was about to do. But he had been right when he said he couldn't fight it. The Genjutsu would have ripped it from him.

And he knew and hated it.

"Yes."

A battle for a war. It was a concept he hated because defeats whittle you down. And he knew it would to him too.

"Just get me a cup of water first." His stomach let out a painful growl. He blushed, twisting a bit. "And some ramen. Like real ramen."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Her brother was perfection. Nothing missed his calm gaze, his quick mind, and utterly collected aura. So when Temari saw him drop a mug, saw it shatter against the desk, splashing in all directions, she knew something was terrifyingly wrong.

Gaara was seated, a hand holding a paper, the other still held out, fingers curled for a cup that was no longer there.

The porcelain was not the only thing that had shattered. His expression. He was staring at the paper as if it spelled out the end of the world and death and widespread disaster. A plague.

Temari ran for him, hand wrapping around his shoulder, something that would have caused it to be ripped off a few years ago. Had not a certain blond triggered a miracle.

"They got him."

"What?" she nearly cried. "Who's got who?"

Gaara shook his head, trying his best to collect himself but failed as his brow remained bunched up.

"This is a letter from Sakura. From Konoha. They were attacked. And they..." A pained expression came over him, swallowing his words.

"Gaara."

His hand drew up, rubbing his temple. He leaned over slightly, eyes closed.

"It was hell, a terrible place, no a state, a state of utter powerlessness. Of losing yourself. I didn't know pain until that happened, it was far worse than I had ever imagined."

Temari frowned. Gaara had never opened up like this before. She could only tighten her grip around his shoulder. "Gaara, brother, what happened?"

He shook his head. "The worst possible outcome...And I can't bear the thought of him going through what I had."

"Gaara, you're not being clear," she tried again, wishing she could read the letter for herself but it had already become crumpled in his fist.

"You cannot because you are not a Jinchuuriki...But Naruto is."

Her heart stopped and a chill ran down her spine. "Naruto? What happened to him?"

He had saved Gaara's life. A mere brat only a few years ago. But he came through when no one else thought it could be done.

Gaara found his voice and looked forward stiffly. "The Akatsuki captured him a few days ago."

"Oh no..."

"Sakura is asking for our personal help...But."

He was the Kazekage. Temari knew he would like nothing more than to start running, even if no one knew where the Akatsuki was. To save him himself but as Kazekage he was bound to formalities. To duty. To his own people.

The reality was Naruto could already be dead. It had been days by now since his abduction.

And it hurt, she could see it in his eyes. But there was a fire too, and it came through his voice. "Call a meeting with the Council. Now."

"Yes, Gaara."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

She found him in bed, surrounded by empty ramen containers and bottles. He was laying on his side, face pointed at the wall.

"So they let you out, huh?" Karin's nose wrinkled. "I could smell you from my room. And you made a mess in our bathroom. Pick up after yourself for kami's sake. What are you, twelve?"

He said nothing, just tightened the sheet around him. Beside the bed was a bucket and a half finished can of soup. The other half had made it into the bucket.

"I'll clean it up later," he mumbled, voice dry.

"Do. And keep the seat down."

He didn't reply, just laid there silently.

She was about to turn but stopped herself.

'There's multiple chakra inside him, Sasuke...'

'What?' The look of surprise on his face.

She bit her lap, turning back towards him. "You look like crap. If Madara sees you, he'll force me to heal you."

"We already met," he said. "And I'm not biting you again."

"Geez, you're going to die before they even get news of the Hachibi."

They hadn't even wrapped his wounds like last time. And it showed, painfully so. All over the bathroom in a pile of dirty clothes and stained bandages and rags.

"I'm not hurting you again."

"Oh please," she retorted. "As if you're some innocent angel, you're not. But...There might be another way. I've just...never have gotten to try it out before."

She had hoped to try it out with Sasuke...But unless it had a definitive use to him that was absolutely certain, he wouldn't give it his time of day.

Now he turned his face towards her direction.

"You mean you actually had the ability to heal normally the entire time? I knew it. You're just into biting and want any excuse to have Sasuke sick on to you like a freaking dog, pervert."

She rolled her eyes. "My healing abilities have nothing to do sex, twerp."

"Oh really."

Sighing she plopped on end of bed. "Sit up."

"Huh?"

"Just sit up," she said frustratedly.

He gave her skeptical look. She rolled her eyes. "I want you to think of it like a method similar to CPR."

"Huh?"

"Chakra runs throughout the body, like any other system we have. One of the channels is the mouth."

"What are you talking about?"

She grabbed hold of his face, prying his mouth further open and she pushed hers over his, channeling her chakra into it. Their breaths mingled, chakra streaming.

He struggled briefly, pushing back, but his struggles faded as her chakra began seeping through his system.

Pleasant warmth filled her. His was such a light one...Warmed by his natural chakra in return, she lingered.

So warm...She had sensed it the moment she had seen him. Had puzzled over it, had wanted to understand why he felt so familiar, yet not. He wasn't a true Uzumaki. He did not bare that clan's mark. But someone in the Akatsuki did. No. She couldn't be distracted.

She focused deeper in, trying to sense that mysterious outside chakra again, to understand it.

Ah, she had it now, studying every ebb of it as it swam deep within the Kyuubi's seal.

His hands pressed against her arms, trying to push her back now.

She pulled back, releasing him. "There. You'll be better, just enough."

She prayed that Sasuke would be able to explain it to her after she told him about it. The two faint glows of foreign chakra. She had a better image of them in her mind now.

She expected Naruto to yell with defensive energy.

_'WHAT WAS THAT?! ARE YOU POSSESSED?! DO YOU ATTACK EVERY GUY YOU MEET OR SOMETHING?!'_

But he hadn't. Just scooted back with a grateful and quiet nod. He was slightly flushed, through, and wiped his mouth. "Please do not do that again."

"You said you wouldn't bite me."

"And I meant it, I don't want you used any other way. Even if I was about to I don't want you just grabbing me either. I mean...Personal space is that last thing I have to grasp at..."

She was frozen silent by his serious tone. He was utterly serious. She scoffed. No one was that nice.

"If anyone asks, that never happened. Understand? Spill and I'll rip your throat out!"

He smiled softly. "Trust me, I gotcha on that, Sis."

She immediately rushed to the bathroom to rinse her mouth. He on the other hand, sat there, fingers pressed to his lips.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

It was some time later when there was a knock on her door from the joint bathroom.

Frustrated, she called for him to enter.

He did so. Already some color had returned to his face but he still was a sight. Numerous cuts and bumps. Tons of gashes. Swollen eye. "I'm sorry I called you a pervert."

Karin almost laughed. He had to be joking. "I don't care, brat."

He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "No, it was rude I noticed that all of your shirts have long sleeves and I know why. And can I be honest? I don't understand it. I don't understand why you let him do that to you."

It was clear the one he wanted to address wasn't her but Sasuke himself. But he couldn't. He was invisible to the Uchiha now. Unimportant.

"My scars are mostly from the Sound for your information. Not that it's any of your business."

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

"Still, why're you here? Sasuke, right? I mean...The Akatsuki's is the last place any sane person needs to be."

She glared at him.

"Look, I have a friend, Sakura, we were part of the same team and she loves him so much. And not once has he given her any sort of recognition. He's incapable of loving you back and the only way he'd acknowledge you is if it's of use to his agenda. I'm telling you, it's not too late to leave that behind. To leave his darkness. To get the heck out of this place and go back to wherever you came from. You're not like us."

"Oh shut up," she spat, her hand so close to slapping him out of reflex that it was trembling. He noticed and scooted back.

"Sorry."

"Just get out!"

He quickly left and she could only slide down the wall before crumbling on her legs.

"Stupid brat," she whispered. Her shoulders began trembling. Around her, an empty room.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He still couldn't get a full sentence out of Sasuke, just curt dismissal. To top it what he had figured was just a cold from the cell was steadily growing worse. Perhaps a flu, or food poisoning.

Lovely.

But then again, he'd soon be home and all this would be behind him.

Making sure he wouldn't be bothered Naruto ventured to the training grounds. It was empty. Good.

With a resolute but sad sigh, Naruto carefully pulled Jiraiya's book out. Finding the inside title page with the main character's name typed in a beautiful traditional font, he traced his fingers over it.

Naruto. It was this character to which he had been named after. By the Author's own pupil. Yes, he knew who he was. The Fourth had not just grabbed any newborn baby that night. It was his own son.

He hid a wince as he slit his nail through a dried scratch on his wrist to open it up. Blood seeped out, and it was this dark liquid, his own blood that he spread over his name.

Then he ripped the page out.

Checking behind him to make sure he was truly alone, he wrapped the paper with his name around a stone, securing the paper around it. Once it was crumpled around the rock, he threw it out into the world through the little slit of a window from which he could not even see outside.

But his name would, that was important.

He would come and leave his trail every day. He had to, and pray that someone would find it, his blood, the rock, just blowing in the wind, and piece his location out.

_Please, someone find me._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Don't worry. I promise I'll find him."

Hinata smiled as she gave a slight bow to Sakura. On her back was a small satchel. Only a few hours ago Sakura had approached her with her request. Had told her various locations she thought could be checked out for clues as they had been linked to the Akatsuki before. She had also promised that she would try to cover for the team as much as possible.

She just didn't know the circumstances around the team. But when Naruto's life was at stake, how did it matter?

"I owe so much to him," she murmured, her cheeks warming. "I need to tell him..."

Sakura gave her a tight hug. "Tell him how you feel."

Hinata blinked, face now a deathly shade of white. "Am I t-that obvious?"

Sakura laughed. "Afraid so, dear. But not to him, that dunce."

Hinata chuckled embarrassedly.

The medic let go, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And...If he's with Sasuke there...Tell him..."

She couldn't finish. Tell him to go die? Tell him she still loved him somehow, after all this time. Tell him she wanted him back? No, tell him she wanted him to just release her already? Geez, she was pathetic.

"Just come back home."

"I will. Well...Here I go."

Sakura's brow rose. "Did Kiba and Shino already leave?"

Hinata looked down. "They did. I'm going to meet up with them just a little ways. Got to scout out with my Byakugan."

"I see..."

"Goodbye Sakura!"

She left before Sakura could say anymore.

When morning came, the Hyuuga Heiress was reported as missing. Back in Konoha, her team members were clueless to her whereabouts.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

**TO BE CONTINUED:**

_Next time_, _Naruto finds himself bonding with the Taka. In the meanwhile, knowing time is drawing closer and closer he tries to figure a way to the slow the Akatsuki down...And ends up finding a strange knife in the library..._

_The _Fourth's_._

_And a picture of Kakashi's old team._

_Suddenly pieces are falling into place. To top it, an attack on the Rain is imminent..._

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU LIKED THIS OR DIDN'T, TELL ME WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T. DOING THAT HELPS THE STORY CONTINUE, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE WHICH IS ME ATTEMPTING TO IMPROVE ON THE ORIGINAL. **

**Also, in case you were suspecting it, I am NOT a Naruto x Karin shipper. Nope. It is not my intent for her to be read that way, but rather as someone who will later relate to him, even if in a different way. **

**And yes I had her go lip to lip. And again, I have my reasons for that change. **


	8. For the Foreseeable Future

Can I be honest with you? About some **cancellations**?

Around 2013 I had a bunch of fics I just stopped working on. I want to continue them, but I just don't.

I'm afraid I've come to that point again. I feel like I have been at that point for a while but I don't want to be, so I fight and I _fight_ it but...well, the months between updates have spoken for themselves.

If you're reading this then you are reading one to three of my stories that I've decided to be honest about and **cancel for the foreseeable future**:

**The Dream**

**The Game Called Shogi**

**To Start a War**

The last two have one thing in common. They're linked to that 2013 splurge. I was discovering Naruto pretty fast, getting into its arcs in a shorter period of time than most long-term fans. But those days of excitement and freshness are over. Especially in regards to those two stories.

The core of both of them is _A Game of Shogi_ which I had started back then. It's been a long time and I've grown since then, degressed a bit on other ends but all in all...

I'm just done and ready to move on to other stories. And even that's hard to say with my lack of updates on even newer fics.

But I still want to aim for them at the very least, especially with a Boruto anime series just on the horizon at the close of Shippuden in April.

And not only that, like my latest _It's the Fear_, I've begun to aim for 4-5 chapters per stories. Going past that is just asking too much for me at this point in my life and at this point in the fandom.

Naruto is over. The next generation isn't. I hope to play with them some more in stories like _Indomitable_ which I've been excited about for months but yet haven't finished the first chapter.

Again, that speaks to my lack of drive.

Listen, I'm sorry the most about _To Start a War_, and within the next six months or so, if I'm unable to get some inspiration for it again, I will post the plotline and its end for you guys at the very least. There's this fanfic I loved, was a huge source of inspiration, that got _so _close to the end but wasn't ever finished (Daybreak, and yes its SasuNaru but I still liked it) and it just KILLS me, even all these years later. **I don't want to do that to you guys.** **So I will post what happens at the very least**.

Again, I'm sorry to do this. I'll still try but that is no longer good enough and I want to be honest about that.

**If you'd like to know what I'm ever working on or what I think will be updated next, please check out my profile. I will continually keep that up to date.**

Finally, _Menma's Story_ is not on the list. Why? I don't know. It just made it as did _DruuunK Daddie$_ and my recent stories which honestly.._.If She Had Screamed_ is a toughie...Might put it on the canceled, or rather hiatus list too.

I don't plan for crap like this to happen. It just does. It did. I've learned to keep to five chapters or so from now on.

I love you guys and I'm sorry. It's just the way it is. I will keep updating, it's just least likely to be the aforementioned.

As of now, here's what the list on my profile looks like:

**PROGRESS STATUS** (in order of priority):

**NARUTO FICS**

**Seven Devils**: The First (of Seven) (no chapter of this will be posted until I finish entire story beforehand)

**Song to the Siren: **Part 1: The Oracle

**Indomitable Chapter 1:** Meet the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force!

**If She Had Screamed **Part 2: Kakashi and Babysitting Don't Mix (Title not final)

**Menma's Story** (A revamp and purging of Menma: Runaway) Chapter 1: The Planting of Seeds

**The Game Called** **Shogi** Turn 8: The Clock is Ticking

**DruuunK D&amp;ddieS: **Ransom

**To Start a War Episode 3: **Welcome to the Sound

**The Dream **Part 6 Sweet Dreams

* * *

**BATMAN FICS:**

**Baptism of Acid **(A Harley X Bruce one-shot)


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